Neon Lights
by Miss Raye
Summary: AU - An injured Jason ends up in a little wayside town at the tender mercies of a young widowed mother. Will she heal more than his physical pain?
1. Chapter 1

Part 1

The diner by the side of Highway 44 was warm and inviting, the only bright light he'd seen in nearly 40 miles. He easily turned his motorcycle onto the worn blacktop that served as a parking lot and turned off the engine. Swinging his leg over the back of his bike he hissed in his breath when pain erupted in his side. He'd managed to ignore the pain from the stitches during the ride, the cold wind on his face the soft prickle of rain had only kept him awake and masked the dull pain in his side.

Running away from a fight had never been his style, but running from the law had sadly become a way of life for Jason Morgan.

Straightening up to his full height he knew the twinge of pain that shot through his body wouldn't be read on his face. He'd been a robot too long to crack now.

The neon sign glowing in the window of the diner was almost as welcome as the pot of coffee he saw sitting on the warmer. A couple of cups and something to eat and he'd be good. The plastic pill bottle in his jacket pocket reminded him that it was time to take another antibiotic pill. Patrick Drake might be an egotistical son-of-a-b*tch, but he was a brilliant surgeon and he'd given Jason hell when he'd pulled on his tshirt and walked out of the room after getting his stitches.

He'd made Patrick some half hearted promise to take it easy and then he'd gotten on his motorcycle and gotten the hell out of Port Charles. The PCPD wasn't much on talent or initiative, but this time they'd gotten lucky and Jason didn't have any other choice but to leave.

A bell above the door bounced on its spring and not a single eye glanced up at him. It helped that there wasn't anyone in the diner except for the little woman wiping the counter. The clock above the order window said 11:52 p.m. and it seemed like the type of place where truckers would go to looking for a warm place to sit and snooze for a few minutes. Sliding onto one of the vinyl covered stools at the counter he pulled the collar of his jacket closer and huddled in to wait.

A white embossed cocktail napkin slid under his hand. "What can I get for you?"

The voice was soft and warm and somehow he knew he was in trouble. "Coffee… lots of it."

She laughed and his gut tightened in response. "One of those nights?" He felt the gentle caress of her fingers against the back of his hand. "Coffee… lots of it, comin' right up."

Jason lifted his head and blinked at the light bouncing off the yellow walls and old olive green glass fixtures that hadn't seen a rest since the 60s. He fixed his gaze on the coffee pot first, looking into the inky darkness of the pot before he looked up into her face.

She paused a step away from the inside edge of the counter and ran her free hand over her hair. "Wow, do I look that bad?"

"Bad? No… I didn't-"

"I was just teasing… I'm sorry, it's too late to play around like that." Flipping over the coffee cup nearest him, she poured it three quarters full and set the coffee pot down."Can I get you anything to eat?" She leaned on the counter and looked into his face, her eyes searching. "You look like you could use something."

Her eyes were blue, almost midnight against her pale skin. The pain meds must be fading… he was losing his mind. "Sure… sure. How about a steak or-"

She gave him a half smile and turned away. "That would be great, but the cook just went home and I can't leave the front to cook," She reach out for a bowl and filled in from a pot at the end of the counter, "I do have the House Special."

"Fine… sure."

She set the bowl before him and held out a spoon. "Here you go."

Taking the spoon from her hand he scooped up some of the thick concoction. "Chili?"

She looked genuinely shocked. "I'll have you know that is prize-winning Chili."

He scooped up a few test spoonfuls before he put one in his mouth. She stood close by removing her apron while he tasted the chili and then swallowed it down. "Well?"

Jason nodded. "It's good."

She dropped her apron on the counter and then settled her hands on her hips. "Oh alright. It's good." She turned away and Jason had the distinct impression that he'd hurt her feelings. He wasn't very hungry, but he finished the bowl as she went around the room turning off the machines, the warmers, even the lights in the bathrooms. The last thing she turned off was the jukebox and even then she slid her hand over the glass domed cover like it was an old friend and not a quarter-a-song appliance. "I don't want to rush you, but I have to get going…"

Jason looked up at the clock, it was past midnight. "Sure. Sorry to keep you."

"No," she waved him off, a little of her light returning, "I was glad you made it in before I had to close up. She put a cup of coffee in his hand. "One for the road."

He reached into his pocket and handed her a bill as he headed out into the darkness.

* * *

><p>She watched him move out toward the motorcycle gleaming in the low off-yellow lights outside and shook her head. He was hurt, moving too slow for it to be anything for the door to catch him she looked down into her hand she stopped short. Crumpled into her hand was a hundred dollar bill. Now she had to catch him… there was no way he meant to give her that much money for a bill that didn't even reach ten dollars.<p>

Elizabeth pushed through the front door and ran out into the parking lot. "Hey… hey mister-"

The words died on her tongue as he crumpled to the ground a foot away from his motorcycle.

* * *

><p>Jason woke up in an unfamiliar bed, wrapped up in blankets from his feet to his neck. He wasn't even sure he'd be able to get his arms out without help.<p>

"Mornin'!"

A tiny little body scrambled up and over his body, nearly planting a foot in a rather inopportune place as it turned around on the bed. A face just as tiny as the body peered down into his face, hands braced against his swaddled chest. "You sick?"

"Sick?" Jason felt a little hand brush against his forehead and he sighed… the heat of his own skin against the cool of the child's hand. "I guess."

"Oh…" the little head nodded like a sage. "Mama! He's up!"

Jason blinked as the child's face came into focus. Wide brown eyes blinked back at him over rounded baby cheeks. "Hey…"

The child sat up on his chest and gave him a lopsided grin. "Hay is for horses and cows that go mooooooo."

"Cameron!" A voice he barely recognized had his new friend giggling enough to shake his middle.

"Uh oh…"

"Get down from there…" Through the fever he saw the waitress from the café. Saw her and knew that he'd fainted like a little girl. It was enough to drive him to swallow a bullet.

A bullet! The thought reached him through the pain and he lifted his arm as the young woman helped the little boy down off of him.

"Cameron," she whispered, "your oatmeal's on the table…"

"Moooooooom!" The whine only lasted as long as it took her to mention there was brown sugar and raisins in it and the child ran into the other room.

She walked over to the bed and looked down at him, crooking her head to the side to meet his fevered gaze. "I don't know who you are besides your driver's license, Jason Morgan. Part of me doesn't want to know. But I took you in instead of letting you bleed to death and I've got your gun hidden away."

"I can't… can't tell you…"

"I'm not dumb, so don't try to lie to me… I've had enough of that in my life. I'd rather you just leave me out of it. I'll help you… I'll take care of you until you're well enough to leave… but so help me, Mr. Morgan, if you hurt my little boy I'll kill you."

She turned away and walked back toward the door, but stopped when Jason's voice reached her ears. "Why?"

She almost didn't answer. He saw it in the hesitation to turn back to him.

When she did he saw the shadow in her eyes… the pain in her face. "Because no one helped my husband… they let him die. I can't let that happen to someone else's… family."

Jason's thoughts swam with the heat of his fever and he struggled to understand her words. He raised his hand to try and get her attention when his throat refused to work. That was when he saw it… what had made her help him and bring him into the house with her son. His wedding ring.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Neon Lights

Jason Morgan had been called a lot of things in his life. Son, bastard, father, killer… but now he could add Nanny to the list. Or, if he took to heart what the other mothers at Cam's day care were saying about him, 'Manny.'

"Jason?"

He looked down at the boy clinging to his hand as he hoped from puddle to puddle on the cement walk way. "Yeah, Cam?"

"Are you gonna be my Daddy?"

He knew he should be upset on some level… or at least confused… maybe concerned, but the question really didn't bother him all that much. A quick look back at the school building showed a couple of fathers picking up their children. "No. What's wrong, little man?"

Cam shrugged and kicked at a rock that was in his way. "Nothin'."

They walked along in silence for a few minutes until they passed by the drug store. Another throwback to a bygone era, the store had an old fashioned row of stools at the counter and a sign that advertised Coca Cola products that looked like it had been around since the heyday of the product.

Jason gave Cam a hand up onto a stool and sat down beside him ignoring the twinge of pain when he stretched his stitches a bit too far.

And older gentleman, probably about the age of Edward Quartermaine stepped out from the back room and gave them both a smile. "Well who do we have here?"

"Cam! You know that, Mr. Bob."

The older man nodded up and down. "You know… I just forgot for a minute. Your favorite?"

Cam snuck a look over at Jason. "Can I?"

"Can I?" the store owner gave his head a little shake and a smile. "May I?"

Pursing his lips together Cam turned back to Jason. "May I have some ice cream, please?"

"Sure." Jason looked over at Mr. Bob. "Two." He saw Cam's expectant look, "please."

Mr. Bob grinned as he scooped out ice cream. "Two polite men in my store… there is hope for the world." He swirled his scoop into a tub of water and dipped it into another flavor. "You know, Cam… I don't think I know your friend's name."

Jason opened his mouth to give the man a story, but he should have known that his little friend would take of it.

"That's Uncle Jason. He's takin' care of me."

"You don't say, Cam."

Cam's brow furrowed. "I just said!"

Mr. Bob and Jason exchanged a smile over the boy's confusion. With a flourish of his hand, Mr. Bob placed two sundaes in front of them on the counter. He took in Jason's odd look and explained. "It's a Cam special. Vanilla, strawberry and bubblegum. Red, white - and blue."

Jason picked up his spoon and poked at the assortment of jelly things in the dish. "Those?"

Cam reached into his dish and picked one up. He pinched it between his fingers and then tossed it in his mouth. "Gummy Bears!"

Jason managed to scoop up the vanilla and strawberry but avoided the rest of it like the plague. Just when they were about to go, Mr. Bob leaned in close to Cam. "Now you tell your Mommy to bring you by on her day off, 'kay?"

Giving the man a hi-five Cam slid off the stool while Jason paid the older man.

Cam ran for the door as Jason peeled off a twenty dollar bill to cover the ice cream monstrosities. Mr. Bob stepped around the counter and nodded over at Cam. "The boy's happy today."

"Isn't he always?" The words were innocent enough but the tone was enough to frighten hardened criminals. Apparently Mr. Bob was Superman, he never flinched.

"It's just that in the year or so that I've known little Cam and his Mama, he's never come in without talkin' about missin' his Daddy. I'm real happy that you're here to help her out, things have been tough the last few months… " Mr. Bob drifted off as soon as he realized he'd probably offered a bit too much information. "Anyway, good to have you here… to help out."

Jason nodded and headed for the door. He pushed open the heavy glass and metal door, trying to ignore the twinge from his stitches. They were almost healed up but he found himself favoring them… making it seem worse than they were. He could probably leave, keep riding on his motorcycle… wait for word on when he could go back to Port Charles… but every time the thoughts crept up he pushed them back out of his head.

Cam stopped suddenly and Jason looked down and followed the boy's eyes to the camouflaged jeep, turning the corner. A couple of guys sat in the open air jeep, their crew cuts belied the casual clothes they wore. Jason knew there was a military base close by so he knew the site was probably a usual one for the tiny town. The men inside were busy laughing at a joke, but one of them in the back seat caught site of them standing on the side walk and saluted. The others stopped talking and turned saluting as they passed by.

* * *

><p>Jason had a moment of confusion before he realized that the soldiers were looking at Cameron. Dropping his line of sight down to the boy, he saw that Cameron stood ramrod straight, his face a picture of soldier serious with his right hand pointed at his brow.<p>

As the jeep rumbled off behind them Cameron relaxed and turn to look up at Jason with a huge smile.

"Theys soldiers just like Daddy." Then they were off. Cam leading the way back to the little house behind the diner, his feet eating up the ground as only a child can do, causing Jason to follow with his feet stuttering every once in a while when he was about to step on Cam's heels.

Jason's mind was running through the information he'd picked up over the last week.

Elizabeth wasn't just the waitress, she was the owner and her hours were abysmal, but she always had time to spend with Cam and make him smile. Her babysitter hadn't been happy with losing her job in favor of 'Uncle Jason' and had given Elizabeth a knowing smile when the young mother hadn't been looking.

He'd been prepared to pay the girl off until he saw the look.

Elizabeth didn't talk about her husband, hadn't since the morning he'd woken up in the guest room of her house and she'd said he'd died… alone without any help. He'd seen the pain in her eyes and didn't want to cause her anymore asking about it.

But Cam, with his simple gesture had given him a lot to think about. Cam let go of his hand to scamper up onto the porch and wait expectantly by the door for Jason to open it. He reached into his pocket for the spare key ring that Elizabeth had given him, the little sparkly butterfly glittered in his palm.

"Look!" Cameron pulled a letter off the door where it had been taped and promptly ripped it open. "Read it! Maybe it's for me!"

Jason took the paper intending to fold it back up and put it back into the envelope for Elizabeth, but the header caught his eye.

EVICTION NOTICE


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

EVICTION NOTICE

Jason folded the paper back up and slipped it into the envelope and looked down into the expectant eyes of Elizabeth's son.

"Well? Is it for me?"

Jason knelt down by the child and looked him in the eye. "Not this time, Cam. You like getting mail?"

Dark curls bounced slightly around his face as the child nodded. "Postcards are the best!"

"Nice to know in case I go somewhere-"

"Sounds good to me."

Jason straightened slowly. He didn't have his gun, Elizabeth still had it locked up somewhere out of his reach. He knew that whoever it was… he wasn't from the mob. He'd be dead already, Cameron too. A week in a little town and he'd gone soft. It was only one mistake, but then again in his line of business one mistake was generally all you got.

"Turn around."

Jason obeyed the order because Cameron was standing there looking at him. Turning on his heels Jason looked at the man in the tan uniform with the silver star on his chest. "Officer."

The man held a service revolver aimed at his chest, one hand cupping the other to steady the aim. It was standard procedure, but everything standard ended there. The man looked down at Cam through mirrored sunglasses that did little to dispel the small town Sheriff/gomer image so deftly cultivated by Roscoe on the Dukes of Hazzard. "You okay, Cam?"

The little boy narrowed his gaze at the man. "Uncle Lucky?"

That nearly did him in. Jason Morgan actually wanted to laugh, bend in half-gut busting laughter at the man holding on gun on him.

The Sheriff, deputy, if the stamped metal on his chest was anything to go by, turned his attention back to Jason. "Who are you?"

Cam shouted out the answer first. "Uncle Jason!"

This time the lawman didn't look away. "Does Uncle Jason have a last name?"

He could have given it. He could have told the obnoxious idiot his name, but something about the man's attitude rubbed him the wrong way. That and the fact that he wore a badge.

The radio clipped to the deputy's breast pocket crackled to life. "Spencer?"

The deputy didn't move except to flex his finger over the trigger of his weapon. A muscle in Jason's jaw flexed in response. Elizabeth's son, feeling the tension in the air stepped up to Jason's side and took his hand.

"Move away, Cam!"

The volume of his order spooked the child and Cam clutched onto Jason's hand.

Jason squeezed back and leaned down an inch or two. "It's okay, Cam."

The boy wouldn't move and squished himself up against Jason's leg.

The radio crackled again and the Deputy swore under his breath. Leaving his gun pointed at Jason's chest he reached over to depress the button on the side of the radio. "Spencer."

"Got a stalled car on the highway about two miles south of the diner. Need you to check it out."

Jason resisted the urge to gloat as the deputy answered dispatch. "I'll be right there." Turning his attention back to Jason, Deputy Spencer gave him a warning. "I'll be around… watching. Just keep that in mind."

Jason gave the barest of nods… acknowledging the other man's words. "I'm sure you will… so will I."

Holstering his pistol with no small amount of frustration, the deputy disappeared around the corner of the house.

Fishing out the keys, Jason opened the door. "Let's get you cleaned up before dinner."

The little boy stopped in the center of the living room and stared at him. "Why?"

Jason gave the boy a look that would have most men stepping back in fear. "Because I said so."

"Nuh uh." Came the reply.

"Now." Answered back the man that many knew to be a stone cold killer.

"Nope!" Cameron fired right back.

Jason folded his arms across his chest and gave the boy his best stern raised-brow look. "Fine, then you explain to your mother why you have ice cream stains on your shirt."

Cameron looked down at his shirt, plucking the fabric away from his body and wooshed out a breath. "Uh oh…"

"Yeah," agreed Jason, "Uh oh."

Cam gave him a conspiratory grin. "I'll get clothes!"

The little boy dashed off and Jason pulled his cell phone out from his jeans pocket. He flipped it open and hit speed-dial. "Spinelli?" He held the phone away from his head as the young man 'expressed his happiness'. When the volume from the phone went down to a dull roar Jason brought the phone back to his ear. "Spinelli… listen to me… I need you to write down some information and get me – what? No, I can't email you… no, no fax. Spinelli!"

Cameron poked his head around the corner. "Ready!"

Jason followed the boy into the bathroom and turned on the water to fill the tub. Sitting on the edge he continued his instructions. "Yeah, I need you to get me information on a mortgage in the name of Elizabeth Webber."

Cameron yanked his t-shirt off and dropped it on Jason's thigh instead of in the hamper. "Mommy!"

"No, Spinelli, that's not… I'm near a pool. "

"Ducky!" Cameron climbed over Jason still wearing his shorts and underwear and climbed into the tub.

"No… don't call me. Just get me the information, Spinelli."

He closed the phone and slipped into his pocket the moment before the splash in the tub announced that Cameron had started his bath half-clothed and grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

><p>The little spring loaded bell over the diner door bounced when they entered and Jason paused for a minute as a young blonde girl smiled at him from behind the counter. "Hey Cam," she grinned, showing two rows of overly white teeth behind her candy red lips, "who's your hot friend?"<p>

Cam squirmed up onto one of the stools at the counter and squinted back at Jason. "That's Uncle Jason. Take off your jacket if you're hot."

"Oh yes," agreed the bleach blonde behind the counter, "Take it off."

"Courtney, there's a table that needs cleaning." Elizabeth came out of the kitchen caring a couple of plates, "there will be plenty of time to ogle my friend later."

Jason looked up at her last words and caught her wink as he sat down beside Cameron at the counter.

"You look busy."

Elizabeth blew past after delivering the plates she'd carried and gave Cameron a kiss on the top of his head. " Busy is good. Busy is money."

She set a new order slip on the counter and her cook picked it up and groaned.

Grabbing her coffee pot she poured a mug for Jason and set a carton of milk in front of Cam.

Cam immediately handed the carton to Jason who opened it and handed it back.

"I see a different shirt, Honey… did you spill something at school?"

Cam looked at Jason and then back at his mother. "Nope."

Jason just shrugged and sipped at his coffee.

The cook called out for Elizabeth and she stepped back into the kitchen to help. Courtney took the opportunity to come over and 'offer her help'. She was a couple of inches too close for Jason to mistake her intentions and he could have sworn that when he'd first seen her, her top had one more button done than it did now. "I get off in an hour."

"Really?" Jason lifted his coffee cup so that the wedding ring on his left hand glinted in the fluorescent lighting.

He saw her eyes grow a little wide at the sight, but she gathered her wits about her and leaned close enough to snap her gum in his ear. "I've had 'friends' that were married before. It doesn't bother me."

Jason got up from the stool, looming over the young waitress with a steely blue gaze fixed on her face. She stepped back and grabbed the counter beside her for balance. "I was trying to save you from embarrassing yourself, but some people just can't be helped. "

The realization dawned in her eyes and slammed the metal coffee pot down on the counter. "I'm taking my break." Her eyes were looking over his shoulder and he turned to see Elizabeth, standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room.

Neither of them noticed Courtney storming out the front door.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth gathered her thoughts faster than Jason did. Lifting her tray in her hands she moved to a booth at the window and set a couple of meatloaf specials down in front of the truckers and kept moving.<p>

"Elizabeth." She heard him right behind her, but couldn't stop to think about it.

"Here you go, Sweety." She set down a chicken fried steak in front of one man and a grilled cheese in front of his daughter. "Let me know if you need anything else."

Her tray empty she intended to use it as a battering ram if she needed to, but it was the pained look in his eyes that stopped her when she turned around. "What is it? Are you hurting?"

"We need to talk, Elizabeth."

She blew out a breath to calm her nerves, the way he said her name always made her tremble. "I can't talk right now, I have customers."

She saw him look around the room and knew as well as he did that everyone was taken care of. She met his eyes again and then looked down at his hand. Leaning in so only he could hear, she told him, "Courtney may not care about that… but I do and so do you… you said so." She looked away for a moment blinking back unexpected and irrational tears. "But for some reason I wish that… I wasn't being such a silly little twit about this… It's none of my business, really."

Jason reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist and drew her close enough that his lips nearly brushed against her ear. "You're not like that, Elizabeth… and there's a lot that I need to clear up between us… but this isn't the time or the place." She looked around the diner and noticed how dearly everyone was trying NOT to notice them.

"I agree," was all that she could choke out in response.

"Tonight," he promised, his voice soft… hot against her ear, "tonight after Cameron goes to sleep we have a few things to talk about."

She knew it was wrong, but with the shivers crawling up her arm from where he touched her and the heat flowing through her body at his words, she wished beyond all reason that they'd do a lot more than talk after Cameron went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The door opened easily under her hand and Elizabeth stopped just inside the entry. She could see Jason's head just above the back of the sofa and the flickering images of the Travel Channel on the T.V. set up along the far wall.

Closing the door as silently as she could she set her keys and wallet on the table under the hall mirror and crept into the room far enough to see if Jason was asleep.

He slid a glance sideways at her and the corner of his mouth turned up in a smile. "He's sleeping."

Elizabeth sat on the arm of the old sofa and ruffled the curls on Cam's head before turning to the television. "What are you watching?"

Jason turned away from studying her face and looked back at the television. "He fell asleep halfway through the special on trains and planes and I've been watching something on Egypt."

"Something?" She raised a brow and gave him a little laugh. "You don't know?"

He laughed a little, the rumble stirred Cameron and both of them reached out to sooth him at the same time and her fingers brushed the back of his hand. "I've been watching the clock. You're home early."

Elizabeth cleared her throat and pulled her hand back and settled it on her leg. "Mr. Palmer wasn't feeling well and there wasn't anyone in the diner… so," she turned back to the television, "I don't want you to miss the rest of your-"

Jason eased off the sofa, his eyes watching her closely. "I've seen it before."

"The show?"

He reached down and scooped Cameron up in his arms and laid the little boy's head on his shoulder. "The pyramids." Jason moved around Elizabeth, smiling at her wide eyes and open mouth as he went into the bedroom to put Cameron down for the night.

* * *

><p>'The pyramids.' Elizabeth shook her head at the thought, 'Is he serious?' She got up off the arm of the sofa and started to straighten it just to keep her hands busy. The blanket that Jason had brought out to soften the old cushions for Cameron to lie on. The way he'd picked Cam up in his arms and so easily held him… those muscular… tanned arms.<p>

Elizabeth touched her cheeks with her fingers and swallowed a groan as she felt the blush that had rose from seeing his arms.

"He went right back to sleep when I put him down."

She turned around and watched Jason walk out of her bedroom. It was silly, stupid even, but since that afternoon thoughts had crept up in her mind about Jason. It wasn't like she hadn't seen his body before… granted it has just been his chest when she'd checked and changed his bandage. His chest… her eyes were drawn to the way his grey t-shirt stretched across the expanse of his chest, before she shook of her silly school-girl thoughts. "Thanks."

He stopped halfway between the bedroom and the couch and looked over at the kitchen. "You want a drink or something… I didn't make any coffee-"

Elizabeth sank down onto the seat cushion that Jason had occupied just a few minutes earlier and peered at him over the back of the sofa. "I'm fine."

Jason moved around the end of the sofa and sat down facing her. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me."

The seriousness of his expression and the experience she had when she first met Jason Morgan had her struggling to keep her expression staid and not laugh. "I doubt it's any different from the idea you have of me." She picked at the bottom edge of her t-shirt. "I don't just bring home every guy that passes out in my parking lot."

He gave her a questioning look, raising one eyebrow. "How many men pass out in your parking lot?"

She tilted her head to the side and gave him an all too serious look. "Yearly? Hmmm… four, maybe five… but I've never had to change bandages before." She held up a hand when he started to say something. "I don't need you to explain the gunshot. I saw your gun… saw the wound. I know private security when I see it." She gave a nod to the wall where and old colorized picture hung of a man in full dress uniform. "You've probably seen it, Grampa was a career Marine, so was Zander, anyway… as long as you don't flash the gun around when Cam's with you… I'm fine with it."

Jason nodded slowly and let out a breath. "Fair enough." He reached his right hand over and pulled the ring off of his left hand, dropping it into her hand.

He watched as she lifted it to peer inside the band, the low light making it hard to see. She could barely make out the letters. "Thanks Jason… Bren." She looked over at him. "Thanks? No professions of undying love?" She handed it back. "Bren… Brenda?"

Jason smiled and gave her a half shrug. "Brenda thought she was sick… and going to get worse. She wanted someone around who'd take care of her… do what needed to be done… when it needed to be done."

"Sounds like she needed an assistant more than a husband with a nine millimeter, but who am I to complain." Elizabeth pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "Sooo… is she waiting for you back in Port Charles?"

"Last I heard she was in Paris… or Spain with her boyfriend," he saw the way her eyes widened with shock and laughed, "we're just waiting for the divorce papers… her tests were screwed up and now that she'll be fine…"

"She doesn't need her assistant anymore." Elizabeth looked down and wiggled her toes and Jason found that he was distracted watching her, barely hearing her question. "Is that why you're sticking around here?" she wondered. "Because you found someone who needed help?"

There was a whole jumble of emotions rolled up in her voice and the look in her eyes.

He considered phrasing his words to say what she wanted to hear… or what he thought she wanted to hear. Instead, he knew she'd see right through it and went for the easiest thing to remember. The truth. "I stayed because you kept me alive. A stranger that you didn't know beyond coffee and chili and you trusted me."

Jason reached out his hand and coaxed her fingers to take hold of his instead of holding her leg. "That kind of trust from anyone is… unexpected… a dream, if I had them. I could tell you that I was just helping out to say thank you… but that wouldn't be the whole truth." Bracing his free hand on the edge of the sofa cushion he rose up on his knee, bringing her closer with their joined hands.

"Then what would be… the whole truth?"

He tilted his head to study her face, this close he could see the brilliant blue of her eyes even in the soft light. His lifted his free hand up, gently sliding through the hair at her temple and slipping it behind her ear. Elizabeth leaned into the touch, her eyes sliding closed with the sensations he was creating.

He stopped for a moment. Long enough for Elizabeth to blink open her eyes and look at him. He loved the way she looked, lips parted, eyes dark with longing. It wreaked havoc on his mind, drained it of blood and sent it rushing south as he struggled to remember the words he wanted to say. "The whole truth? I just can't seem to walk away from you, either of you."

Elizabeth smiled, her eyes softening with the action and brought her hand up to rest over his heart, feeling the strong insistent beat beneath her palm. "What would you say if I told you I didn't want you to walk away?"

"Say?" Jason's gaze flickered down to her lips and then back up to her sapphire gaze. "Why bother talking when you can-" His hand slipped around to the back of her neck to anchor her in place as his mouth descended on hers.

* * *

><p>He hadn't planned on kissing her. He hadn't planned on anything that had happened over the last week, but as Elizabeth melted into his embrace he couldn't seem to get the logical part of his brain to surface above the need to coax her mouth to open beneath his… the need to feel her shiver at his touch… the need to lay her down on the couch and drink his fill of her passion.<p>

His wound twitched with pain as he leaned over her and when she felt the momentary twinge echo through his body she reached out to steady them both, knocking her mail down from the end table to the floor.

She laughed and he felt it through every inch of their bodies that touched. Jason reached down to pick up the mail.

"NO…" she gave his hand a swat, "I'm perfectly capable of picking up my own-"

He knew the instant she saw it, he felt the tension in the muscles of her legs and the in the set of her shoulders.

"Elizabeth-"

"Did you… read this?" She looked up at him, shame gilding her eyelashes with tears. "Why did you-"

He pushed his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I didn't… I mean… it was taped to the door and Cam thought it was for him. He opened it and-"

"Gave it to you," she finished and turned away to read the details, her shoulders hunched over as if to keep it from his eyes. "Well… things just keep getting better and better don't they?"

She stood, unfolding her body from the couch; her checks flushed a ruddy red in the soft glow of the television. "So tell me," she nearly swallowed her courage, "you didn't see this and think… another woman in need of help?"

He looked away and shrugged. "I could."

She gaped at him. "I was joking."

Jason stood and faced her. "I'm not." Raising his hand he rubbed it over his chin as he considered his words. "I can help you, it wouldn't be a problem. I have more than enough-"

She held up her hand and turned her gaze to the wall. "Don't… don't take what I thought was happening here and turn it into a nightmare." Elizabeth turned back to him and tried to smile through the stubborn tears that were threatening to spill onto her cheeks. "I may not be rich, Jason, but I'll be damned if I let someone just swoop on into my life and make it easy… I want to work for what I have. I want to know that the life I make for my son is something I've earned… not that I've been given."

Elizabeth took a step closer to him and then thought better of it, moving behind the sofa so it was a visible barrier between them. She clutched the paper in her hand, crumpling it slightly as she looked at Jason. "I'm sorry, Jason… I need some time to… you know, think about this… figure out what I'm going to do and you're… a distraction." She moved closer to the bedroom door and turned back around. "Thanks for explaining… about Brenda."

Jason nodded and then stared down at his hands until the door to her bedroom closed, shutting him out.

Flipping open his cell phone he moved to the windows at the far end of the room and hit the familiar speed dial number. The phone picked up on the other end after a couple of rings. "Spinelli? Tell me you have something I can use."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 –

Elizabeth gave up trying to sleep the third time Cameron put his elbow in her ribs. Pushing the hair back from her face she sat up in bed and looked at her son. With his arms flung wide on the bed he looked just like he used to when he was a baby, escaping out of the blanket that the nurses would try to wrap him in.

Half asleep she swore she was hearing things. A dull cycle of rolling thunder in her ears. She tossed and turned for a bit before she sat bolt upright in the bed. Cameron groaned and reached for his blanket before he fell back asleep. Elizabeth was confused, wracking her brain for coherent thought. Had she left the dryer going when she went to sleep?

She listened again and the noise was unmistakable. Groaning she tossed her blanket to the side and got up, taking a minute to turn Cameron parallel to the headboard and 'fence' him in with pillows, in case he started rolling around.

Opening the door she was halfway to the laundry room when she realized she wasn't alone in the room.

Swiveling around on the balls of her feet, Elizabeth Webber found herself staring back at Jason Morgan.

"Hey." It sounded stupid even to her ears, especially when she was standing there in an oversized t-shirt that barely reached down to the middle of her thigh and Jason Morgan was wearing… boxers and nothing else.

"Hey." His answer back sounded a little less awkward than hers, maybe he was used to walking around a woman's house in nothing up his boxers.

Elizabeth pushed the thought out of her head along with the little green monster that had NO business playing with her emotions.

"Sorry, I-" she pointed at her bedroom, "heard the noise and thought…" she took a quick look at his impressive abs and then back to the open door of her bedroom, "that I'd left, uh…" she lost her train of thought when he reached up a hand to scrub through his hair and the naked bulb in the fixture above the kitchen counter shone golden light across his taut bicep.

He tilted his head to the side and gave her a smile. "You thought you'd left the washer on?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly, unable to speak at the moment.

Jason shrugged. "I hope you don't mind, I normally wash during the day, but Cam and I stayed a little later at the park that I'd wanted to and-"

She shook with sudden laughter. "I am such a dork!" She reached up to slap her forehead with the heel of her hand and then pressed it against her chest with a look of exasperation. "I'm sooo sorry… am I that stupid?" Elizabeth gave him a smile that looked more like a grimace. "I should have offered you… well, I would have offered you some of Zander's old clothes, but the pants would be a little high-water on you and I think his shirts would probably resemble David Banner's after he got angry if you tried to put them on," she saw the look of confusion on his face and shrugged, "and I'm just rambling on here 'cuz it's late and I'm half naked and you're-" she held out her hand to explain and then swallowed her words as her cheeks heated.

"Sorry," Jason chipped into the conversation, "my pants are in the machine."

"Yeah." Elizabeth turned around and took a deep breath, "great… just great," she muttered, "you walk in here thinking… and then he's… and now you're all… good grief, girl... get a grip on… boy howdy I'd like to get a grip on… WHAT are you saying?"

She swung back around and avoided Jason's gaze. "Look… I'm sorry I just… barged on in here-"

"It's your house-"

She looked up and saw his smile. "What?"

"It's YOUR home, Elizabeth, I'm just a-"

"God I love how you do that," she uttered the words before she could stop herself and then covered her mouth in surprise.

"Do what?" He clasped his hands together and watched her.

Elizabeth brought her hand down slowly and told him, "the way you say my name… the whole thing. Most folks call me Liz…Lizzie… Beth… even my parents did… but you're the only one that calls me Elizabeth."

"It fits you," he took a step closer, "it's beautiful."

"Ha!" She laughed, disbelieving, "I'm standing here half naked and my hair all messed up and you think-"

"You keep bringing that up-"

"My hair?" Her expression was marked with confusion.

"No," he lifted his hand up toward her, his strong fingers taking much of her attention, "you keep talking about how much you're wearing…"

"I do?"

He nodded. "I can see it."

"What?" Her eyes grew wide in surprise and her hands pulled at the hem of her shirt. "What can you see?"

"What you're wearing... you don't have to tell me that you're… ah…"

She looked up at the ceiling and groaned. "I want to just disappear…"

"Then I wouldn't be having this much fun."

She lowered her gaze, now blazing with mock fury, "Go ahead… make fun of me… I'll… throw one of my red bras in with your clothes and-" she stopped right there. It made no sense… his clothes were all dark and the red color wouldn't do a thing except make her think of their clothes in the washer together and the thought was strangely erotic to her. "Never mind."

"Would it help if I went into the bedroom and wrapped a blanket around my waist?"

Lord help her but she had about as much discretion as she did after a night of drinking with the girls. "NO… not really… I'd still be looking at your chest and… please shoot me."

"Come here." God help her but she went. Walked over to him like she couldn't help herself and she couldn't… not really. Jason held out his hand and she took it, watching as his larger hand closed over hers and pulled her closer. "Elizabeth… I don't want to make you uncomfortable, and if I was out of line kissing you before, I'm so-"

She touched his lips with her hand, smoothing her fingers over his lips and the hint of stubble around his mouth. "Don't be… I'm not… It felt… really good and I didn't want to stop." She sighed and looked back up into his eyes. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry for biting your head off about the… letter. Things have been a bit… exciting since I bought the diner." She kept a hold of his hand as she moved over toward the couch. "I had a little money saved and I'd been working at the diner off and on since high school."

Jason stepped past her and sat down on the couch first, gently tugging her down into his lap while she continued talking.

"Zander and I had met there, he and a few of his Marine buddies came in for something to eat and he ended up asking me out somewhere during dessert, so when he died in Iraq I wanted to come back to something, somewhere that made me happy." She sighed and watched her hand travel up over his forearm, her fingers trailing along his skin. "Then a couple of the major appliances broke down and when the repairmen came out to fix them I had to pay them, they all live in the town… I had to, and I told the bank I'd pay them… I just had to be late. I paid them too… but now, I'm getting these notices."

Jason took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb against her palm. "You won't let me pay them for you… what can I do for you?"

She leaned back and looked up at him. "Are you for real?"

"That's a trick question, right?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No… it's just me trying to figure out if I'm dreaming…" She reached out and grazed her palm over the muscular plane of his chest, "you feel real."

He slid a hand through her hair and around the back over her neck. "You're not dreaming, Elizabeth… this is very real."

She sighed, her lips parting slightly as she slid her hand around to the back of his head through his hair, pulling him down. "Thank God."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Elizabeth Webber woke up in an empty bed. It took a precious second for her to nearly fall of the bed as she called out. "Cam? Where are you?"

There wasn't a sound in response.

'OH, God!'

"Cam?" She lunged for the door and what she saw nearly did her in. Cam was sitting up at their Walmart dinette with his cheeks filled with food. He gave his mom a big smile with scrambled eggs visible through a gap in his teeth.

She sagged against the doorway her hand pressed tight over her hammering heart.

"Good morning." Jason looked around the half wall that separated the kitchen from the hall and her breathing stopped all together.

'How can he look so *#) )#$ great in the morning?' "Hey… Did I oversleep?"

He looked over at the clock on the wall and shook his head. "No, I just started breakfast when Cam came in so we've been talking."

"You mean Cam's been talking." The laughter was back in her voice, but her body buzzed with memories of last night when he'd held her and she'd given into the ever deepening feelings she had for him. "I'll just... ummmm grab a shower and get ready for work."

"Sure, I'll make you breakfast, too."

She couldn't help the way both of her brows rose at that comment. "Sure… that would be… nice."

Elizabeth stared into the little mirror mounted on the wall and smiled as she traced a finger over lightly colored mark on the side of her neck. The flush that came in response to the memory of 'how' she'd received the mark colored her cheeks and the pale skin of her chest at the same time. Jason's mouth had felt heavenly on her neck… and other places that couldn't enter her thoughts… not if she wanted to actually get to work in time to open up this morning.

As she stepped into the shower with the Chuggin' Charlie cartoon characters emblazoned across the plastic she wondered if Jason had a matching one on his neck. She'd never tried to leave one before… but last night she'd put in her best effort and been rewarded in so many ways.

"I like steam trains," declared Cameron as Elizabeth stepped back into the room. "Magnet ones don't have smoke, it's not as fun."

Jason nodded thoughtful as he poured the orange juice. "Point taken, Cam… smoke is more fun to watch than nothing at all."

Cameron nodded thoughtfully as though they'd just solved a most ponderous issue between the two of them. "Yep." He turned to see his mom and raised up both arms. "HUG ME!"

Elizabeth scooped him up in her arms and hugged him tight against her chest, placing a loud and wet kiss on his cheek. "Mmmmm 'Morning Baby."

"Not a baby, Mama…"

She gave him another kiss on his other cheek this time and set him down. "You'll always be my baby, sweetie. Now get dressed." She gave him a swat on his bottom and watched as he ran into her bedroom to grab the clothes she'd laid out on the bed.

The scrape of a chair behind her had her turning around to see Jason holding it away from the table.

"Hmmm," she wondered aloud, "a table for one?" She sat down in the chair and looked at the plate of eggs and looked up at Jason. "Where did you find all of this… not our kitchen?"

Jason set down a glass of orange juice and shrugged. "Mrs. Fletcher was working in her garden and Cam wanted to help her. When we were finished she gave us a bag of vegetables."

She started to giggle and he gave her a stern look. "What's so funny?"

"The image of you on your hands and knees in the dirt with your leather jacket and-"

"I didn't wear it, left it on the porch swing when we started. "

"Oh…" she gave him a wink, "I'm sure the ladies liked that."

"Is it really so funny to see a guy pulling weeds?"

Elizabeth took a sip of her orange juice and gave him a smile. "It's not funny as just odd, especially a guy who looks like he could bench press a small car, down on his knees with an elderly woman and child." She gave him a quirky grin as she speared some of the eggs with her fork. "I'd liked to have seen it."

"Me, down on my knees?" He gave her a look that had her weak in her knees sitting down. "You saw that last night."

To save herself from making a total fool of herself she shoved her fork in her mouth and started to chew… and halfway through her second bite she realized something important. "This is good." Okay, so her mouth was a little full and it probably sounded like mush but it was true. She swallowed and stared at him. "You cook."

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" She took another forkful and chewed as she watched the play of emotions on his face.

"Like I grew an extra head or… I don't know."

She smiled as she swallowed. "No… no… it's nothing bad. You're this hot guy who rides a motorcycle… carries a nine-millimeter pistol and you can cook. It's unexpected."

"Right." Jason looked at her as if she was starting to lose it. "Finish up if you don't want to be late."

The reminder was all she needed. Elizabeth continued to dig in as Jason went in to get Cam moving.

* * *

><p>The first thing she noticed was a note taped to the door and that killed her. Especially in front of Jason. She walked up and pulled the note off. It was pink and smelled like that kind of perfume you get in the little girl's section at Walgreens. She opened the note and shook her head.<p>

"What's wrong?" Jason was right behind her.

"Courtney has a 'family emergency' and won't be in."

"Elizabeth?"

The young mother groaned as stared at the old woman striding through the parking lot, "Not Bill, too!?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie… he's laid up in bed by the gout in his legs. Can't Courtney cover the front?"

Elizabeth waved the pink stationary in the air. "Not today."

"What are you going to do?"

Elizabeth stared at the diner and the closed sign. "I guess I'll have to-" she stopped mid thought and her gaze swiveled to Jason and a sly smile spread over her lips. "Everyone inside."

The assembled group followed the young woman inside and Cam climbed up onto a stool and waited for his mother.

"This all depends on two people. Abby, can you take Cam for the day… I'll pay you, please."

The older woman waved her off. "Cam's a total sweetie and it'll be nice to hear something besides Bill griping all day. Who else?"

Elizabeth looked at Jason as she reached behind the counter and tossed him an apron. He caught it and looked down at the white cotton ball in his hand. "I need you to cook."

"Cook?"

Jason was a little unnerved as the older woman standing beside him started to chuckle silently at the thought.

Elizabeth continued on with her grand plan. "You made me an AMAZING breakfast, that's all you have to do."

"Look," he swallowed, "it was just some eggs."

"Please, Jason… you said you wanted to help me."

"Of course, I do… breakfast is it. That's all I make."

"Eggs? Pancakes? Ham? Bacon?..." she listed off a number of breakfast items and Jason nodded at each one. Smiling she reached for the white board sitting up against the back wall and wiped it off with the side of her hand. Taking up the Green marker on the counter she quickly wrote up a message and turned it around for the group to see.

BREAKFAST DAY

ALL DAY

Jason took one look at her hopeful face and started stripping off his jacket. Abby gave an appreciative whistle and took Cam's hand. "Let's go, Buddy… Mama's got a lot of work to do."

Abby paused by the door and gave Elizabeth a look that caught the younger woman's eye. She pointed at Jason and fanned herself as if she was about to melt into the linoleum. Elizabeth laughed and Jason looked up into the mirror above the counter and smile. "I can see that."

The woman fled with Cameron, her laughter trailing behind her.

* * *

><p>Jason had been in enough diners as a customer that none of the orders coming across the counter fazed him at all. The heat that was threatening to eat him alive was fueled every time Elizabeth reached her hand through to hand him an order. He'd take the opportunity to hold her fingers and slide down to the paper; it never failed to make her blush.<p>

And every so often she'd find a reason to come back to the kitchen when there wasn't something pressing to do in the front. He'd back her up against the refrigerator or any other available surface and kissed her until she moaned.

Oh yeah, things were gettin' warm in the kitchen.

A few minutes after the noon rush died down the bell above the door clanged against the wall and Elizabeth jumped a little, connecting her forehead with Jason's. "Sorry." Fixing her hair in the mirrored reflection of the refrigerator she made her way into the front of the diner.

When she saw who it was she gave every effort to keep the welcoming smile on her face. "Hello, Mr. Lansing. I was wondering when I'd see you."

He looked like one of those cardboard cut-outs in an appliance store window, his briefcase clutched in his hands in case it might touch the booths on either side of him. "Well, I told you when you came into the bank that first time that I take a very 'personal' interest in all my clients."

"Oh, really, well I'm glad to hear it." Looking quickly around the diner, Elizabeth took a deep breath. "If you have a few minutes, I'd like to talk now."

Ric Lansing looked around the diner on his own and gave a little sigh. "This could take awhile. Wouldn't it be easier if we talked about this over dinner?"

Elizabeth looked back at the kitchen for quick second. "I'm completely understaffed today, as it is I had to bring a friend in to cook."

The banker looked uncomfortable. "Is that legal? I mean, the county has strict restrictions about who can work in an establishment for health and safety reasons."

She waved off his comments and called back over her shoulders. "Jason? Can you make me a special for Mr. Lansing?" She held out her hand to the nearest booth. "So, let's have that talk right now. I really want to get this straightened out."

He nodded, slowly. "Fine. We'll try it this way and see."

A few minutes later, Jason stepped out of the kitchen to deliver some plates to a neighboring booth. He didn't like the way the man looked. He didn't like the way the man talked. He didn't like the way the man kept trying to touch her hand every chance he got.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're saying Mr. Lansing. I made the payments and paid the fees, it seems like the interest rates have gone through the roof! I'm sure we had a fixed rate percentage on this. Right?"

The banker shuffled the paper and sighed. "I don't recall that, Ms. Webber. Maybe," he slid his hand over hers and lowered his voice, "we should meet at my home office, really go over these papers and we can come to some sort of arrangement to save your diner."

Jason dropped the plate on the table top and the clatter echoed in the room.

Ric jumped back. "Hey, why don't you watch what you're doing, you imbecile?"

"You alright, Elizabeth?"

She got up from the booth and put some distance between herself and Ric Lansing. "I'm sure it was all a misunderstanding-"

"You let this brute run your kitchen?" He gave Jason a scathing look. "He doesn't look like he read a recipe let alone make food that's worth paying for."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "That's just rude and I'd like you leave, Mr. Lansing. I'll see you at the bank tomorrow and we'll clear this up." Her expression was stone and he must have known he wasn't going to get anywhere. He stuffed the papers into his briefcase and started to close it as Elizabeth moved toward the counter and Jason reached out and touched her shoulder to comfort her.

Ric Lansing in his overpriced Armani knock off took one look at the 'intimate' gesture and sneered. "What kind of payment arrangement is she giving you?"

Jason heard her gasp of outrage and wasn't quite sure if it was from the banker's words or the fact that Jason had knocked him to the floor with back of his hand.

"Shut up about her, if you know what's good for you."

"Was that a threat? Did you just threaten me?" The Banker already had his cell phone out and was dialing 911. "You'll be sorry you did that."

"Humph," came a comment from one of the booths along the other side of the diner. "I'm sorry he didn't put you through the windows."

The banker glared up at everyone as Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Jason's waist and walked him back away from the man on the floor. He lifted the phone right up to his ear. "Yes? Is this the Sheriff's office? I want to report an assault. Yes, the diner on the highway. Hurry, before he comes after me again." Closing the phone the banker gave Elizabeth a glare. "I was willing to help you before, Ms. Webber, but after being attacked by your 'Neanderthal' here, I'm less than willing to make an extra effort on your behalf."

"Yeah, well… " she started, "there are some lines that I won't cross no matter how desperate I am." Elizabeth put her hand on Jason's arm. "When the Sheriff comes down here, I'll tell them what happened. EVERYTHING that happened."

Rubbing his cheek the banker gave both of them a nasty glare. "There are two sides to every story, Ms. Webber, and I hate to point it out but I'm a very important man in this town. It would be best for you if you thought about the implications of your actions from here on out." He turned his gaze on Jason. "I'm sorry; too many big words for you, well when you pull your knuckles up off the floor, maybe you can look up a few of them for refere-"

A moment later he was spitting out eggs and bell pepper bits and blinking at the young woman standing in front of him. "You're lucky I need every single plate that I have, Mister Lansing, or I would have broken this over your head." She set the plate down on the table. "If you want to wait for Sheriff, wait 'outside' or be prepared for another face full of food."

Ric Lansing brushed egg and vegetables off of his suit and reached for the door. "That was the wrong thing to do, you'll see."

The bell nearly bounced off the chain as the door swung violently closed behind him. Elizabeth lifted her chin and gave Jason a smile. "As far as I can see, that was the only thing I could have done." She pulled a towel from her apron and started to wipe off the table as a siren broke the quiet outside the diner. "Here we go…"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jason sat on the cot in the jail cell and watched something much more interesting than a television show. Elizabeth Webber crusader and dragon slayer. "Open up that cell, Lucky… he shouldn't be in there."

"He hit a man, Liz… what do you want me to do. That banker man swore out a complaint. What did you want-"

"But I'm the one that threw food in his face and dirtied his suit! So, why don't you put me in there, too!"

Lucky swept off his sunglasses the mirrored finish shining the florescent lights in Jason's eyes for a moment. Reaching up his arm he leaned against the bars and leaned close to Elizabeth. "I'm not going to put you in the cell with him."

"Why not?" She turned to Jason and grabbed the bars as she tried to smile for him. "Jason wouldn't hurt me, Lucky. He's-"

"An outsider, Liz… he's probably just down here lookin' to score with some lonely little thing and then ride off like it didn't matter."

"Lucky… that's not the point here… he didn't do anything."

"He knocked him down to the ground and-"

"Jason only did that because Mr. Lansing said… something about me and he was just defending me, Lucky… you've done the same thing before… a couple of times."

"Liz, I don't think you understand."

The front door of the Sheriff's office opened up and Abby walked in with Cameron. The little boy's eyes widened when he took in the layout of the room. "Wow… lookit!"

"Abby… thank God you saw the note on the door!" She opened her arms as Cam came running to her. "Hey sweetie…"

"Mommy? What's Uncle Jason doin' in there?"

Jason gave him a smile. "Just playing a game Cam… don't worry."

"OK." Cam took Elizabeth's hand and waited beside her.

"Don't you worry, Cam. As soon as Uncle Lucky finishes playing his game and lets Uncle Jason out of the cell we'll be on our way back to the diner. I'm missing the dinner crowd."

"I can't-"

"You can, Lucky. Stop being so stubborn."

Cam tugged on Elizabeth's hand. "Can Uncle Lucky show me his gun again before we go?"

Elizabeth gave Cam a grin. "Sweetie... you know I told Uncle Lucky no guns with you around."

"Well he showed me. Uncle Jason too!"

Turning toward the cell she looked to Jason who gave her a nod.

"Lucky?" She stood, flashing anger in her eyes. "When did this happen?"

"I… I… " He glared at the man in the cell who merely shrugged his shoulders, "I had to see what this guy was up to…. I saw him take Cam to your front door. What if he was going to break in? Kidnap Cam? Liz… I had to stop him."

"Break in?" She tried to keep her voice soft enough not to scare her son. "He had my key!"

"He could have had you in the trunk of his car!"

"He drives a motorcycle… but really, Lucky... the problem here is you! You took your gun out in front of my child!"

"It wasn't in front of him, he stepped in the way."

She opened her mouth to respond and then clamped it shut, gathering her thoughts before letting loose. "Lucas Spencer you and I have known each other since we were two and I can't believe for one instant that you thought Jason Morgan was breaking into my house or that holding a gun on him with my SON around. So, unless you want ME to file charges against you for 'terminal stupidity' you'll let Jason out of the cell and we can get back to the diner."

"He's not going anywhere."

She gave Lucky a look that would have melted butter. "What?"

Lucky grabbed Elizabeth's arm. "Do you have any idea what folks are saying behind your back?"

She cocked her head to the side and glared at him. "No, but I have a feeling you're about to tell me."

"Let go of her, Spencer."

Lucky turned to look at Jason and found that the larger man was half-way across the cell. He turned his attention back to Elizabeth. "They're saying the two of you are living together."

"He's sleeping in Cam's room, Cam's in with me, not that I have to explain myself to you."

"They're saying you're sleeping with him."

"I just told you; Lucky… he's sleeping in Cam's room-"

"They say you're fu-"

Elizabeth slapped Lucky before he could get the word out. "Don't you dare, Lucky… " her words hissed from her throat. "Don't you make me hate you.'

"He's ruined it…" Lucky rubbed his cheek and pointed at Jason with his other hand, "he comes in here and ruins what we had. You can't expect me to be happy about this, Liz!"

"Ruins what Lucky?"

"You… me… US." The deputy took her and held it in his. "I thought… after Zander died… all I had to do was wait until the right moment and then…"

"Then… Lucky? Did you think that you and I?

"Yes… I did. Liz you don't know how painful it was for you to fall for that stupid Marine… with his stupid dress uniform and shiny buttons… I've loved you since we were kids!"

"We were friends, Lucky and I thought you were there for me after Zander died because of that."

"I was there for you because you were going to be mine… everyone knew it. The whole town knew it… and now they're all laughing at me."

She went cold inside, shivering from the roots of her hair to her toenails. "I didn't realize I was such an embarrassment to you, Lucky. I am sorry." Did her voice echo against the walls like it echoed in her head? "Don't make it worse by keeping him in here like this… please."

Lucky put his sunglasses back on. "He stays until I hear different from the Sheriff or Mr. Lansing."

Elizabeth nodded once. "I'm going to tell you something right now and since Abby's here I know she'll remember everything the way it happened. I'm coming to check on Jason tomorrow and there better not be a mark on him…. Nothing to make me think you've been mistreating him, because-"

"You think I'd hurt him, Liz?"

"At this point, Lucky… I wouldn't put anything past you. Nothing."

Lucky's radio crackled to life. "Deputy Spencer, Mrs. Carlson called, there's someone in her shed and wants you to check it out."

He turned on his heel and left the room.

Elizabeth whispered to Cam who ran over to Abby for a minute, leaving Elizabeth free to talk to Jason. He was at the bars before she stood up.

"Elizabeth, there's a few things that you should know, before-"

"Are you an ax murderer?"

He paused and shook his head. "No!"

"Are you here to kill us? Kidnap us?"

"No," there was a distinct chuckle in his voice.

"Are you sticking around because you want to be… with us?"

He slipped his hand through the bar and fanned his fingers through her hair, resting his palm against the side of her face. "Yes… I'm here because I want to be."

She blew out a breath and smiled at him. "Then I'll see you tomorrow." She leaned forward and brushed a kiss against his lips. "I'm glad you stayed…"

* * *

><p>Jason watched as they walked out of the holding area and into the front of the Sheriff's Station. He'd made his call; at least Deputy Doofus let him make it, and told Spinelli to get Diane on the case in both Port Charles and this arrest. He only hoped that the hacker didn't OD on soda and chips before he got the message to his attorney… and hurry up with those bank records. Jason wanted this wrapped up so he could get on with… what he wanted to do.<p>

* * *

><p>Elizabeth got Cam dressed for bed and opened the door to his room. "Night night, Cam."<p>

"Uh uh," her little boy wouldn't go in, "That's Jason's bed."

She bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying. Jason. He was spending the night in a jail cell because he stood up for her. Lucky was wrong to think that he should keep Jason in jail. He was wrong to think that Jason was ruining things. He was just wrong. "Alright, little man… so where do you want to sleep?"

Cam pointed to the other door. "With you, Mama… so when Jason comes home he has a room." She let go of his hand and watched him run into her room intending to follow right after him but she couldn't move her feet even when the light went on beside the bed. The house was so very empty without Jason and it suddenly drove home the fact that one day Jason Morgan was going to get on that motorcycle of his and ride away… and when he did, he was going to take her heart with him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The next morning, Elizabeth woke up before the sun and sat up in bed, her fingers feathering through Cam's curls as she thought through her predicament. The television flicked on its rickety stand against the wall and she sighed as her thoughts drifted back to Jason.

Jason behind the counter at the café, Jason in her kitchen, Jason sitting on her sofa, Jason… holding her… kissing her… turning her life upside down.

A commercial flooded the room with light and she startled, a flash of light flaring on the glass of a picture frame on her dresser. Zander.

The picture smiled out at her, no recriminations in his expression. She looked away for a moment. "It's been almost two years now… and I'd wondered if I'd forgotten what it felt like to want someone." She continued on quickly, nervous, "Not just want them in my bed, but want someone to sit with and talk to… someone to watch tv with and play with Cameron in the yard…" she blinked back tears, her hand swiping at them before they could fall on Cameron, "to love someone and make a future with them." She was gasping, almost to the point of being breathless. "I'd forgotten… until Jason."

Zander continued to smile at her, his broad grin a comfort and an encouragement in the wee hours of the morning.

"I think you'd be happy for me," she mused, a smile tickling her lips, "I think you'd like him." Elizabeth dropped a hand to her heart and felt the steady thunder beating beneath her hand. "I know I love him, God help me, I barely know him… and I love him."

* * *

><p>Jason sat up when something struck the bars above his head. He hadn't slept a wink the whole night. He'd been awake, thinking about Elizabeth… and the ways he was going to make up for all the hell she'd gone through since he'd arrived. Now, facing the scowling visage of Deputy Doofus he stood slowly, his hands fisting at his sides.<p>

"Morning, Jason Morgan." Deputy Spencer gave the bars another rap of his nightstick. "Yeah, I know who you are… I'm not just some country cop with an axe to grind. I've got skills."

Jason ground his molars together silently, the only outward sign was a slight 'tick' in his jaw. He had a few choice words for the idiot but he kept silent. There were times when it was best to let someone talk… bury themselves… and this was one of those times. It had worked on the PCPD and they were smarter than this man… hell, a rat was smarter than Deputy Spencer.

"I know you think you're some wannabe crime boss from up in Port Charles and that's fine." He shifted a little, his eyes narrowing at the other man. "But down here, you're nothing… I'm in charge."

"Actually," the frosty tone had a definite feminine lilt to it, "I think I'm in charge."

Spencer turned on his heels, his tall muscle-bound frame visibly shrinking as he faced the woman in the doorway. "Hey V."

"That's 'Sheriff' V, to you, 'deputy'." The woman was of mid-size and slight of build, but it was easy for Jason to see that beneath her uniform she was muscled and it wasn't just from the gym. The woman knew what she was doing. "Care to explain why we have someone locked up in the holding cells, but there's no report on my desk?"

Bristling at her tone, the deputy managed to shrug. "I hadn't gotten around to it yet."

"Then," she smiled, but her tone was pointed, "get to it."

His chin lifted the slightest little bit, Lucky Spencer stalked from the room.

"Well, now," her tone lightened and she shook her head a little, moving further into the room, "what have you done to piss off my deputy, Mr. Morgan." She smiled wider at the way Jason's eyes changed at the sound of his name. "I know who you are and I want a few answers of my own."

* * *

><p>Elizabeth taped the note to the front door of the café and felt a little shudder pass through her body.<p>

CLOSED FOR TODAY

She'd dropped Cam off with Abby and stopped by the café so that folks wouldn't expect her to open. She had other things to do today and she didn't have time to find a replacement.

* * *

><p>Diane sighed and closed her eyes trying to ignore the boy fairly bouncing on the seat beside her. "Spinelli… SPINELLI!"<p>

"Yes, oh Brusque Lady of Justice?" His puppy-like eyes gazed intently at her.

She smiled weakly. "Please try to sit still, or I'll make Max pull over and you'll have to ride up front."

"Woo!" Spinelli gave a little fist-pump into the air. "Shotgun!"

Max looked up into the rear-view mirror of the SUV. "You want me to pull over?"

Diane pinched the bridge of her nose. "How close are we?"

Looking down at the GPS on the dash Max noted. "A few miles."

"Drive, for the love of God, DRIVE!"

* * *

><p>Ric pulled his car around to the back of the bank and let himself in with his key. He left the shades down on the windows of his office, but he'd turned the lights and waited for the air conditioning to do its job. He had plans this morning and he couldn't stop the smile spreading on his face.<p>

He heard the soft knock at the glass door of the bank and crossed to the door. He swung it open and gestured inward. "Welcome, Elizabeth… I'm so glad you could come and see me this morning."

She looked up at him and then into the interior of the empty bank. "Well, you said I had to see you… where's everyone else?"

"The bank doesn't open for over an hour… but you're a special client… I wanted to give you my personal attention. Come into my office."

Elizabeth hesitated for a moment, looking at the near empty street behind her. "I should come back later, I-"

"Now or never, Elizabeth." Ric cut off her words, knowing he had to press her or he'd never get what he wanted. "If you want to get this whole mess cleared up you'll come into my office and we'll get this settled. If you'd rather lose your little café and let that man rot in jail, I-"

"No, no," she skirted around him and into the dark interior of the bank, "please, let's talk."

He pointed to his office and watched her walk away, her hips swaying gently as she moved toward the light. He waited until she was inside his office before he locked the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The sheriff leaned against the wall and listened intently to the man behind bars in her jail. "So what you're telling me is that I don't have to worry about your… 'company' moving into my town?" She saw his nod and smiled. "Do I have your word on this, Mr. Morgan?"

He stood up from the cot and nodded. "If you'll take my word."

V leaned closer to the cell, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I believe you… and I'm a pretty good judge of character."

Jason slid a glance toward the door and raised a questioning brow.

Rolling her eyes, V sighed. "Spencer? I inherited him and I can't seem to get rid of him no matter how hard I try." She gave the mob enforcer a lop-sided grin. "Maybe I'll just let him get on your bad side and you'll take care of the problem for me." She held up her hands in surrender. "Ok… ok… I'm just joking." She looked back at the door. "I'm going to see if my deputy's done with his report. I have to look at it before I can think of letting you go."

Nodding, Jason looked her in the eye. "Fine, but I've got some people to see… Elizabeth-"

"Ahhh," she opened the door, "Now I'm beginning to see what the problem is."

* * *

><p>Elizabeth stood with her back to the wall, clutching her purse in front of her. "Mr. Lansing, I'd like to get this all straightened out as quickly as possible and-"<p>

The door to the office shut with a decisive click. "I'm afraid that it's not so simple, Elizabeth."

The way he drew out the sound of her name set her nerves on alert. She hugged her bag against her middle. "I'm sorry," she tried to smile at him, "I just don't understand what's wrong with my accounts. I have receipts for all of my payments. I'm sure this is just some sort of… error."

Ric walked over to her, nearly touching her shoulder with his chest, leaning closer to her ear. "It's more than that, Elizabeth… why don't you let me… explain things to you." He smiled, his gaze sliding over her face and dipping to the modest neckline of her blouse. "You do look lovely today."

She edged away from him toward the desk.

* * *

><p>The expensive black SUV pulled off the road and into the cement and gravel parking lot outside of the Sheriff's office. Spinelli practically spilled out of the confines to look at their surroundings.<p>

Max held the door open for Diane and helped her step out onto the ground. She took one look at the town and demanded to know. "Are you sure this is a town, Max? It looks more like a truckstop than anything else."

He gave her an apologetic grin and nodded. "This is it." He reached in and handed her the briefcase she'd left on the seat. "You need this?"

Diane nodded as she took hold of the limited-edition leather case. "Well, let's get this over with so we can get home."

She pushed her way into the front door of the sheriff's office. "I want to see the person in charge."

Lucky stood up from his desk, only to have V set a hand on his shoulder and push him back down again. "That would be me."

The two women sized each other up in a moment. They were both strong, independent, intelligent women who could kick ass and take names in their own right. Max stood by with a smile and marveled at the testosterone in the room and most of it radiating from the two women facing each other in the center of the room.

Diane whipped out a business card and handed it to the officer. "I believe you're holding my client in your 'jail.'"

V smirked at the 'all-business' tone of the lawyer. "I believe I am." She held out her hand to Lucky. "Report."

He sheepishly handed her the report, but his face was full of masked-fury. "Here it is."

She raised an eyebrow.

He pursed his lips together for a moment before adding. "Ma'am."

V took the report and read through it in under a minute. "Lansing?" She swiveled around to look her deputy. "You men all stick together, don't you." Handing the report to Diane she reached for her keys. "I'm letting Morgan go and you," she pointed at Lucky, "need to find somewhere else to grind your axe." She nodded at Diane. "Morgan's way outta your league."

Diane finished reading the report in the same amount of time and turned to the deputy to bestow her own scathing look. "Nice work bootstrapping those charges." She looked back at Max with a grin before informing the deputy. "You couldn't even get a job at the PCPD with fiction like that… and that's saying something."

The door to the jail opened and V re-entered the room followed by Jason. He took one look at Diane and Spinelli and nodded at Max. "I need the keys."

Without question, Max tossed the keys to Jason. "SUV, outside."

Jason moved for the door but Diane's voice stopped him. "Jason, you're going to want to take a look at this." She held out a thick report folder.

Instincts warred within him. He'd always been good and deciding which path to take… well, not always, he reminded himself. He slowed and turned, walking back to Diane. "Make it quick."

"You asked about Ric Lansing."

He flipped open the cover of the file and didn't seem to mind that the sheriff was looking over his shoulder.

Diane explained for the others in the room. "It seems that a thorough search of his background-"

"By me!"

Diane nodded at the computer genius, giving him his due. "Yes, well, we found a history of 'quick exits' from his former vocations-"

"That means 'jobs.'" Spinelli informed the deputy, earning the young man a scathing look.

"-reveals a rather 'interesting' habit of his." Diane reached out and pointed to a highlighted area of the file.

Jason read the words in a moment, his face still and expressionless.

Spinelli whistled through his teeth. "Damn, Stonecold, you're about to pop a vein."

"I need to find Elizabeth." He left the station with Max tight on his heels.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth had suddenly gained a vast appreciation for the mouse she'd caught in trap at the café. The terrible squeals that it had uttered before Bill had taken it outside and released it for her still haunted her thoughts. "Mr. Lansing, really, I-"<p>

"Ric."

She stopped short, looking up from the papers he'd spread on the desk. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Ric." He leaned in closer, his nose nearly brushing her cheek, "call me, Ric."

She inhaled in a gasp, fear thickening in her veins at the smell of his over-priced cologne. "I really don't think that's appropriate." She moved away and toward the door but stopped as he cleared his throat.

"I'm trying to help you, Elizabeth… I'd like to think you'd be willing to work with me… after all, this bank holds the notes on that silly little café of yours and your home." He let the words sink in before he continued on, slowly… deliberately moving closer to her. "I know you're smart enough to understand that I can either be your enemy," he lifted a hand and with the back of his index finger drew an invisible line from her shoulder to her elbow.

She felt the touch shiver down her arm and her heart went cold.

"Or," he smiled, his eyes dark with something she couldn't name, "or I can be your… friend." His other hand lifted and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. His face hovered scant inches from hers as he pressed his advantage. "So what is it? You and your son out in the street, or do you want to make us both happy."

She could feel the door behind her, knew the instinctual need of flight as his hand settled on her hip. With a startled gasp she stepped back and Ric countered her movement, driving her back toward the desk in the confusion.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The diner was empty. He could tell without even stopping as he drove by, but the note on the door caught his attention. Pulling the SUV into the parking lot, Jason barely shifted into park before he ran out, the engine running, and sprinted up to the door.

CLOSED FOR THE DAY

Huh. He wondered for a moment if she had been on her way to see him at the station and he'd just missed her, but no, there were relatively few streets in town and the way he'd gone he'd have passed her if… home.

Maybe she was just taking a break.

The thought didn't sit well with him. Knowing how much she was struggling financially she would want to work if she could.

Slamming the car door Jason shifted the car into gear and left his seatbelt off.

Max just looked at him from the passenger seat, silently assessing Jason's mood.

Outwardly he was calm, almost cool, but there was the way he flexed his knuckles as he held onto the steering wheel, the slight twitch of his jaw muscles, the way the atmosphere inside the SUV seemed to darken with every breath. Jason was worried… VERY worried.

"We'll find her, Jason."

He didn't even nod in response; he knew they'd find her… he was just worried what they'd find.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth reached into her purse and produced a bunch of papers clipped together. "I have receipts, Mr. Lansing. If you'll just look at these you'll know there's been some kind of mistake and we'll just get this cleared up."<p>

"Receipts?" He made a big show of taking the papers that she held up between them like a shield and dropping them into the waste basket at the corner of his desk. "I don't think you understand what I'm getting at, Elizabeth."

She shuddered at the sound of her name on his lips. Somewhere, from the back of her mind, she remembered the sound of Jason's voice whispering her name and she held onto that memory, hoping to block out Ric Lansing.

"Maybe I'll just have to spell it out for you." He looked down at her with a sly grin on his face.

* * *

><p>The house was empty too. There was a 'light' missing as though the structure had aged when it was alone. Even the trees surrounding the place looked worse for the lack of life within the house. The little deathtrap that Elizabeth called a car was gone as well. She wasn't here. She wasn't at the diner.<p>

Jason flipped open his phone and hit speed-dial. "Spinelli… I need an address."

* * *

><p>Ric leaned his body against hers and braced one hand on the surface of his desk. "It's a simple mathematical equation," he began as he played with errant strands of her hair, "if you want to keep your house and the diner you'll work off your missing payments."<p>

"I have no problem doing that," she was a little breathless and when she clutched her purse tighter against her body she felt the frantic thud of her heart against the back of her hand, "I'm trying to tell you that I've already-"

"You know these banks have such a faulty computer system… one wrong key stroke and," he paused, his hand sliding down to the end of a strand of her hair… and then along the side of her breast, "months of payments, wiped out."

"Mr. Lansing, I'll pay-"

"Oh, you'll pay," he cut her off as his hand closed over her breast, squeezing just enough to cause her pain, "and I'll decide how much."

* * *

><p>Max fidgeted in the passenger seat. "You know where you're going, Jason?"<p>

Jason didn't answer or even look at the guard. He was concentrating on the layout of the town, looking for the fasted way to Abby's house. She had to have Cameron and she'd know where Elizabeth was. Jason was certain of it. He had to tell her about Ric Lansing… tell her to watch out for the snake.

Knowing enough to keep quiet, Max concentrated on their surroundings and peered out of the tinted windows at the passing smattering of houses and businesses that they were passing by.

"Hey, Jason…" pointing at what looked to be the back alley of a building, he saw a black Infiniti parked in the shadows, "isn't that Lansing's car?"

Turning his head he saw the Infiniti and there, in front of the building, Elizabeth's car. The largest word on the sign outside said it all.

BANK.

* * *

><p>Ric slithered one hand between them, he yanked up the hem of her skirt. Elizabeth squeezed her knees together, trying to keep his hand in check. His fingers bit into the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh and he groaned against her ear. "Come on, Elizabeth… I'll make this good for both of us."<p>

She turned her head to avoid his lips, tears spilling onto her cheeks as she pushed at his chest. Her arms were almost pinned between them and she struggled to keep her balance. "Please, don't do this… I don't want to."

Still, she hadn't screamed, and Ric knew he still had a chance. He held her home and business in the palm of his hand and he was going to use it to his advantage. Ric pushed some of the things off of the surface of his desk and onto the floor. He needed room… more room… since it looked like he was in for a fight. He grinned, his teeth scraping along the column of her neck. "Just try it once… and you'll see what I mean. Before you know it, you'll be begging me for more." He laid her back on the cold glass of his desk and the sudden shift of movement allowed him to slip his hand between her legs. He muffled her screams of protest with his own mouth, enjoying the sudden tang of metal in his mouth as she bit down on his lip.

* * *

><p>There was a slight median between one side of the main street and the other, but the SUV sailed over it as if it was no more than a speed bump and Jason set the car in park a heartbeat before he swung out of the driver's door and headed for the door.<p>

The interior of the bank was dark, but in the back of the lobby he could see the faint line of light beneath the door of an office. Someone was in there.

Elizabeth was in there…

Fury burned in Jason's middle as the whole picture dawned on him.

Ric Lansing was in there with Elizabeth.

Jason started to reach for his lock-picks in his pocket but thought better of the idea. "Max, gun."

The guard reached into his shoulder holster and slapped the pistol into Jason's outstretched hand. Jason lifted it, his eye focused down the barrel at the lock on the door. He began to squeeze the trigger.

The unmistakable sound of a gunshot reached his ears.

A gunshot from inside the building.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The lock exploded with the impact of the bullet and Jason shouldered his way inside the bank. "Elizabeth!"

There was a heartbreaking moment of silence before he heard her voice, high and thin, behind the office door. "Jason?"

With Max's help Jason broke down the door to the office, stepping through with gun at the ready. He saw her immediately; her face was very pale with shock and fear, her hands holding a gun. Ric Lansing sat against the far wall of the office, his lips moving silently as a dark stain spread over the front of his shirt.

"Jason?" She started at the sound of her own voice. "Where did you… how did you…"

Jason advanced slowly, tucking Max's gun into the back waistband of his pants. "Elizabeth… are you hurt?"

"Hurt?" The question echoed in the room, her body quivering more with each breath. "I… he… oh God, Jason… he wanted me to..."

"Jason? He's not going to last long." Max had already crossed the room and knelt down to examine the banker's condition, mercifully blocking him from Elizabeth's view.

Holding out his hand to her, Jason coaxed her gently, "Elizabeth… hand me the gun."

"You want me to call the cops?"

"Call for an ambulance." Even as he said the words he wished Ric Lansing dead a thousand times over, but he didn't want the man's death on her conscience if it could be helped. "See what you can do."

Max nodded, but Jason couldn't see him, his eyes were focused on the young woman standing before him. "Let me see you, Elizabeth… let me, please."

She stepped closer, her feet moving by sheer will… almost as automatically as she reached out to hand him the gun.

A million questions ran through Jason's mind, but none of the answers really mattered. No matter what, he was going to take care of her.

He took the gun, and set it down on the desk, away from her reach and gently examined the bloodstain on the front of her blouse. It didn't look like any of the blood was hers and he quickly looked over every inch of visible skin for damage. As he did his examination he spoke softly to her. "Did he… did he 'hurt' you?" He couldn't bring himself to say the words burning in his mind.

"Hurt?" She shook herself as though she was trying to shake the words loose in her head. "He… he said I could pay him by-" she looked up at Jason, tears and pain swimming in her eyes, "he wanted me to… but I couldn't, Jason. I wouldn't let him do that to me."

He slipped his arms around her and she clung to him, pressing her face into hollow beside his shoulder as she took each breath one at a time. Jason pressed a kiss to the top of her head before he turned to look at Max. The howl of sirens reached them inside the bank and Max ran outside to get help.

* * *

><p>V paused just inside the doorway, surveying the situation. The EMT had just finished covering the banker's still body with a sheet and Jason Morgan was holding Elizabeth tightly against his body, his back broad enough to block the scene from her view.<p>

She saw Diane Miller step up beside her from the corner of her eye and readied herself for anything.

She caught Jason's eye. "Mr. Morgan?"

He looked up at her but didn't relax his protective embrace around Elizabeth's body. "Sheriff."

"At the risk of having your attorney step into the middle of this I'm going to ask you one question. What happened here?"

Jason looked up at Diane and she raised an eloquent eyebrow. The equivalence of a 'it's up to you' even though she didn't like it.

"You've read the report," Jason's clipped tone had everything to do with his temper and none of it was directed at the Sheriff. "He tried something he shouldn't have and got what was coming to him."

"That," interrupted Diane, "was NOT a confession."

V smiled at the lady lawyer. "I didn't think it was." She stepped closer, moving to the side see Elizabeth's face. "Miss Webber?"

Jason looked down at Elizabeth as she met the Sheriff's eyes. "Yes?"

"I'd like to talk to you later, find out what happened… you can come to my office." She looked up at Jason. "Will you bring her by later?"

"I- I'd like to go now," she met Jason's curious look. "I just want to get it over with. It's better that way."

V smiled a bit, but she shook her head. "I don't think that's necessary. I'm sure if I send you home with a couple of evidence bags for your clothing you'll bring that with you later this afternoon. I'll follow the body to the Medical Examiner's office."

Elizabeth watched the taller woman walk out of the office before she turned back to Jason. "That's Doc Barnes. He's the only doctor in town… once they bring the body in… everyone will know."

"I'm still taking you home to change," Jason took his phone from his jacket pocket and held it out to her. "You want to call Abby and tell her to keep Cam away from the news?"

"We don't have a news camera or anything like that… but I'm sure the story will get around." Tears threatened to steal away her composure. "Would you?"

He nodded and dialed the number she recited to him from memory, her emotions numb.

* * *

><p>The shower was hot and punishing, just the way she liked it when she was trying to hide her tears. She'd leaned against the cold tile wall, her body shaking with her sobs and frustrations. She'd been a fool and she knew it. Now, she'd killed a man and there would be hell to pay.<p>

The television was on when she stepped into the hall an crossed to the living room. She had a feeling he wasn't paying any attention to the show on the screen, after all, Jason didn't strike her as a man that liked to watch Soaps.

She stood in the doorway, silent and watching, not the show but the man. Jason was again on her couch in his boxers, his own clothes in a separate evidence bag on the dining table behind him.

"I'm sorry." The words seemed thin to her… transparent.

He looked up at her, confused.

"Your clothes…" the explanation weakened by the riot of emotions flooding through her body, "you don't have anything to wear."

He shrugged, barely a movement in response. "Max will get me something."

She nodded, her arms wrapped around her small frame. "That's good… that you've got friends here to help."

Her words died in the semi dark of the room. Jason had closed the curtains against the world and had only turned on a few lights, enough to see by... enough to minimize the horror of the blood on her clothes when they'd come in.

Jason had a whole slew of questions in his head, but he didn't know what to say to her… she wasn't used to these things happening.

Elizabeth padded into the room, stopping just out of Jason's reach. "It was horrible," she whimpered as a slight chill shivered through her body, "the things he said to me… the way he touched me."

Getting to his feet, Jason reached out to touch her. His hand settled gently on her shoulder and then the other hand brushed against her cheek. "He'll never do that again."

"I know he won't," the gasping words made Jason's chest hurt in sympathy, "because I killed him."

'He had it coming.' Jason's thoughts stayed curled up inside his head. "The sheriff knows what he's like… I doubt there will be any charges."

It was almost as though she didn't heard him. "I. Killed. A man!" She lifted her hands up before her face and stared down at them as though she'd never seen them before. "I killed him… I killed him and now I'll never get rid of…" she looked down at her nightshirt and then straight up into Jason's face, "how his hands felt… when he touched me."

"Elizabeth…" Jason reached out carefully and took her hands in his, stilling her stilted gestures as he spoke softly to her, "Elizabeth… look at me."

And look she did. She drank in the sight of him as though she was dying of thirst. Jason Morgan, the man who had come to mean the very air she breathed, was probably now free to head home to Port Charles. His lawyer was here and by the look of her, calm and cool and so very capable, Elizabeth was sure that whatever it had been that Jason was staying away from had cleare dup and he could now return to the life he lived… something rich and fancy… something exciting and so very very not… her.

She knew that in the morning he'd most likely get back on that shiny motorcycle and ride out of her life. Her messed up, jacked up, stupid life and she was happy for him. Like hell she was.

It was going to break her heart when he left town, but she'd sworn to herself in the shower that she wasn't going to become one of those 'clinging vines' that hung onto him… begging him to stay. No, she'd smile and wave and lie through her teeth… tomorrow.

Tomorrow, she'd give him what he needed.

Today. Elizabeth bit her lip for the slightest moment before she finished her thought.

Today, she was going to have what 'she' wanted.

"Jason." She whispered the name, enjoying the feel of it brushing over her lips. Watching his reaction as spread her small hands against the warm skin of his stomach she pressed her luck. "Jason… make love to me."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Jason… make love to me."

It was almost as though she'd given him the world. Those five simple words had rocked him down to the soles of his feet. She'd had a huge scare that day… then the gunshot… and-

A single second had gone by and already she was wavering in her resolve. Had she said the wrong thing. "Jason, I-"

"We shouldn't-" The words sounded harsh and foreign to his ears, and her hands pulled back. He reached out and took them in his. "Elizabeth, wait. Let me explain."

"Explain." She blew out a breath as she struggled to maintain her composure. "You don't need to, I-"

He kissed her and felt her lean into him, her hands clinging to his shoulders, her nails biting into his skin. It would only be so easy for him to pull off her shirt and… Jason held her by the waist and set her back, his eyes looking down at her with his eyes dark and troubled. "Elizabeth, you've been through a lot today, and-"

"And what?" She knew before the words had left her mouth how stupid the question was. She felt the world open up beneath her feet and wished beyond hope that it would swallow her whole. "You think that I… that I wanted to sleep with you because of… because of what happened with Ric Lansing?"

He didn't say a word when he looked away, his lips pressed tightly together. "No, that's not what I… I meant that-" The phone rang and Elizabeth tried to pull away, but Jason held her back. "Wait, I need to-"

She pulled away and picked up the phone from the wall-mount. "Hello? Yes… I know, I-" she bit her lip listening to the other person on the line, "Sure… sure, I understand. Bye."

Elizabeth set the phone back down and moved toward her bedroom, disappearing beyond the door.

Jason pushed his hand through his hair, ignoring the ghost of a pain in his side. The wound was almost healed, but as he looked at the closed bedroom door he worried that he'd caused another wound with his words.

"Elizabeth?" Silence greeted his question and he moved closer, nearly speaking right up to the door itself. "Elizabeth? We need to talk about-"

The door swung back open and she looked up at him, she'd put on pants and a sweater over her shirt. "I've got to go and take care of a few things. We can talk later… if you want to."

She snatched the keys up off of the counter, picked up both bags of bloody clothes and walked out the door.

It took Jason a moment to realize that she'd taken the SUV keys… her car was still back at the bank.

"Damn it." Jason swung the door open and stepped outside just in time to see the SUV rumble onto the main road, and to realize that he was standing there in his boxers on her front porch. "Damn it!"

Stepping back inside, he picked his cell phone up off of the kitchen table and flipped it open. "Max? I need some clothes… now."

* * *

><p>The Station was nearly empty when she arrived, the only people inside were V and Lucky. One of them smiled at her.<p>

Elizabeth focused on V, trying to block the angry look on Lucky's face from her mind. "You called?"

V gestured toward her office door. "We have a few things to talk about… if you're ready."

"Ready?" Elizabeth looked back at the SUV in the parking lot, easily visible through the clear glass door. "I'm ready to talk."

Giving Elizabeth a nod and a quirky smile she stepped back toward her office. "You'll probably want to talk to your lawyer."

Elizabeth followed V, confusion evident in her expression which only seemed to deepen when she saw the person sitting in V's office.

The perfectly dressed red-head stood up from her chair and gave Elizabeth a smile. "Diane Miller, I'm here to represent you."

* * *

><p>Jason opened the door and snatched the package out of Max's hands before disappearing back inside.<p>

The guard didn't even blink at what Jason was… or rather, wasn't wearing. He followed his boss inside and closed the door. He watched Jason rip the tags off the clothes and yank on the jeans first, barely pausing to put on some socks as he dressed in the middle of the main room. "Sorry it took me so long, there aren't a whole lotta places here that sell clothes and I," the large Italian gave Jason a little shrug of embarrassment. "I didn't know what size you wear."

Jason picked up the last package, ripping the plastic off of the t-shirt before he pulled the black one off of the top.

Nodding in the direction of the discarded package, Max noted. "They were having a sale on those… 3 for ten dollars."

Tugging on the hem of the t-shirt, Jason ignored the comment and reached for his boots. "I'm taking the car."

Max tossed him the keys and Jason immediately recognized it as Elizabeth's. "I picked it up from the bank. They don't… um, have a rental company here and Milo's bringing us another SUV from Port Charles."

Jason was already out the door.

* * *

><p>Diane motioned to a chair beside hers in the office and waited for Elizabeth to sit down. "As your self-appointed attorney I have a few things to say to you before you begin answering any questions from the sheriff. I know you don't know me from Adam, but I've been representing Jason and his business for a few years now. He's a good client," Diane ignored the eloquent snort of laughter from the sheriff, "but also a friend. I'd like to let you know before the sheriff begins to talk that Mr. Lansing has quite the history of 'pressuring' young women into," she looked at V for a moment before continuing on, "compromising positions, using his power as loan officer at various banks. He's always kept himself one step ahead of the game and it's only recently that any of the women have started to speak about what he's done to them.<p>

"That's one of the reasons I came here, to see if we could stop what he was doing. Unfortunately, when we arrived, I was 'distracted.'"

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "Because Jason was in jail."

Diane nodded. "So, I feel more than a little responsible for what happened. I should have told you about Mr. Lansing when we arrived."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth gifted the attorney with a weak smile. "I let myself get in this situation. I should have known better than to go to meet him outside of the normal bank hours, but he said," Elizabeth looked at V when she continued, "he said I had to meet him and straight everything out or lose my business and my home."

V nodded. "And the gun?"

Elizabeth's cheeks colored in a blush.

Diane gave V a questioning look and the sheriff explained. "Right now, I'm off the record… I just want to see what we're dealing with. So," she gave Elizabeth a smile, "I'm going to listen."

"It's my husband's gun. I was… worried," she looked from one woman to the other, "I knew I had to meet him, but something inside me said to be careful."

Diane looked at the sheriff. "I'd say she was being smart… protecting herself."

"Except for the part," Elizabeth admitted, "where I went to meet him alone." She sighed. "When he told me that over the phone, I admit I agreed to it in part because I felt so awful that I'd let everything get so bad… I didn't want," she swallowed her next word, because she'd been embarrassed to have Jason know what kind of trouble she was in, "anyone to know how stupid I'd been… and I ended up being even 'more' stupid." She covered her face with her hands and drew in a shuddering breath. "But when he touched me," she continued, her voice gaining a little strength even as her body went weak, "when he told me he'd make everything all right as long as I let him… gave him… did what he wanted, I just couldn't."

V waited, knowing there was more.

"I was desperate, but not enough to do… 'that'." Again she thought of Jason, how she gained strength from him, from what she felt for him. "I tried to leave, but he wouldn't let me." She gasped in a breath as the memories came back. "He had me up against the desk," she lifted her hands in an unconscious gesture, "he touched me… made me feel… dirty." She looked up at V, tears spilling onto her cheeks, "I knew he wasn't going to let me go. He was going to m-make me-"

Diane interrupted. "I think that's good enough, don't-"

V held up her hand. "And the gun?"

Elizabeth didn't even look at the attorney, she just opened her mouth and answered with the truth. "I had it in my bag. When I knew he wasn't going to stop, I warned him… told him I had it."

The memories flooded back and she couldn't breathe, felt the weight on her chest. "He was on top of me… I can still feel his breath on my face… and then he put his hand-" She was nearly panting with fear, her eyes wide and sorrowful, "He touched me and I flinched… and the gun went off."

Diane reached over toward Elizabeth, her hand settling gently on the young woman's arm.

Surprised at the gesture, Elizabeth turned to the lawyer and mustered a smile. "Th-thank you."

Recovering her composure, Diane turned to the sheriff. "Is that enough?"

V stood, nodding. "I've read the report on Lansing that you gave me and this fit right in with the information." She folded her arms across her chest. "I'm going to have to make a formal report about this, send information out to the other enforcement agencies looking for him."

Taking Elizabeth by the arm, Diane stood up and started for the door. "Good, I'll take Elizabeth home." She stopped at the door to V's office to shake the woman's hand. "Thank you for your understanding."

V returned the shake and then turned to Elizabeth. "You take care of yourself, now."

Elizabeth returned the warm smile tentatively. "Thank you, I'll try."

With that she turned to leave the station and nearly walked right into the purposeful stride of Jason Morgan.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Max was just a step behind Jason and had to 'put on the brakes' or run right into Jason's back.

From where she was standing, Elizabeth had no idea that she'd almost been a pancake. All she could see was Jason looking down at her. Nothing else mattered.

"You left without me."

The question was strangely intimate, given the setting, and Elizabeth looked away before she could answer him. "You weren't wearing any- I mean, you weren't dressed to-" it was hard to say the right words to him, not when she had so much to say.

Jason set a hand on her hip and drew her closer as he took a step forward. "We need to talk."

It took every ounce of resolve not to melt against him right then and there. It almost didn't matter to her that Lucky was sitting at his desk a few feet away. "I have work to do."

A moment later when it looked like Jason was about to argue with her she pressed her advantage.

"I can still open the diner for the evening shift." She looked over at Diane with a hopeful smile. "I hope you'll come by and have dinner on me," she looked over at Max as well, "you should come too and bring that computer guy-"

"Spinelli," Max prompted her.

"Yes," she grinned, "Spinelli. With everything you folks have done to help it's the least I can do." She fished Jason's keys out of her purse and held them out to him. "I'm sure you want to trade cars. It couldn't have been easy driving around with the roof pressing in on you." Her attempt at humor fell well short of his funny bone.

"I'll come with you and we can-"

"Actually," Elizabeth took the keys from his hand and dropped the SUV keyring into palm, "I was hoping you'd pick Cameron up from Abby and bring him by for dinner. I'm sure he's got a ton of questions to ask," she let a small laugh escape her lips, "I don't want him to think I forgot him."

He knew he was being dismissed. It didn't take a genius to hear the relief in her voice when she saw him nod. She walked away, her head held high, but there was a moment, just a moment, when her steps faltered and her hand pressed up against her lips. Jason knew she was only postponing the inevitable, they were going to talk about this… they had to.

* * *

><p>Bill had already opened the diner before she arrived and the burners were warm and ready to go when she let in the first bewildered customers: a couple of sisters from Idaho on a road trip. They snapped pictures with their cell phone cameras, calling the place 'way cool' and 'so sweet' as they poured over the menu.<p>

Elizabeth was more than happy to see Diane and Max show up, a young man that looked to be a smaller version of Max was introduced as Milo. He gratefully accepted a cup of warm coffee from Elizabeth. "I drove down with another car for Jason."

"Another car?" Elizabeth smiled at the young man, taken with his soft voice and the way he easily blushed when she looked at him. "Why would he need another car?"

Diane smoothed her hand over Max's, moving his attention to another selection she felt was, "better for you, sweetie." She looked up at Elizabeth to answer the question. "Having Spinelli trapped in an SUV for a few hours would make anyone wish for another car."

"Huh," Elizabeth looked out at the SUV in the parking lot, "where is he?"

"Jason?" Diane watched the young woman blush at the question. "You mean Spinelli." Her 'ah-ha' tone wasn't lost on Elizabeth, nor was the double meaning behind it. "He's with Jason. Sometimes Spinelli likes to ride in the SUV with the window down and we don't have the chance to do that in Port Charles."

"Yeah," Max chimed in, "he kinda looks like one of those sheepdogs, sticking his face out into the wind."

Milo coughed at the thought, nearly choking on the water in his glass. Max gave his brother a solid pounding on his back to help him.

"Don't mind us," Max continued, "we like the little geek. He's been a lot of help to us, but give him some crap just to show him that he's one of the family."

Elizabeth grinned and took their orders, listening intently to the banter that easily bounced back and forth between them. Bill gave her an encouraging smile as she clipped the orders to the turnstile and swung it around.

The bell above the door danced and she turned around, ready to greet her next customers.

"Jason."

He nearly filled the empty doorway with his broad shoulders and if it wasn't for Cam barreling in ahead of him, she probably would have stood there staring at him for a few minutes.

"Mommy!"

Hell, she thought, hours… months… years!

She met Cam at the break in the counter, throwing her arms around the little boy and hugging him tightly against her.

"Missed you, Mommy!"

"I missed you too, Pumpkin."

"Mom!" Cam turned halfway around in her arms to look at Jason standing in the doorway. "I'm a big boy, not a pumpkin."

"Oh yes, yes, you are." Elizabeth let him go and the little boy scampered up onto one of the stools at the counter.

She turned her attention back to Jason. "I was wondering-"

"Dude, is that bacon?" Spinelli pushed past Jason with a "sorry, Stonecold," and continued straight to the counter and grabbed an empty seat next to Cam.

Together, the two young men in the room turned back to look at the man still standing in the doorway.

"Come on, Jason," Cam urged, "sit by me!"

He looked at Cam and Spinelli before turning back to Elizabeth. "I could help you in the kitchen," he shrugged, "looks like you're going to be busy." Sure enough, a couple of cars pulled into the parking lot ahead of an 18-wheeler.

She shook her head, something sad and wistful in her eyes. "No, you sit with the boys… I've got things covered with Bill here."

Jason didn't move until she'd disappeared into the kitchen. There was something wrong between them… but this wasn't the time to discuss it. He sat down on the stool between Cam and Milo and reached for a menu. It would be… soon, if he had anything to say about it.

* * *

><p>Nearly two hours later, the diner had emptied of everyone except for Elizabeth, Cam and the entourage from Port Charles. Cam, curled up and asleep on one of the diner's padded benches, was full and happy.<p>

Spinelli, apparently attached to the internet by some invisible umbilical cord had his earphones on as he tackled some new video game that no one else seemed to understand. Milo, Diane and Max were happily conversing over generous slices of apple pie and coffee.

In the kitchen, Elizabeth busied herself with cleaning. She'd let Bill go as soon as the last meals were cooked, telling him she could handle closing things up. She really hated all the scrubbing and scraping and washing and rinsing that it took, but anything was better than going outside and facing-

"Elizabeth?"

If it was possible to have her heart in her throat and in her shoes at the same time, this was the moment. She couldn't meet his eyes. She knew she'd been hiding in the kitchen when she should be out in the diner thanking Jason and his friends again for all their help, but hide she did. "You need more coffee out there? 'Cause I can make more and br-"

"I need to talk to you." How he'd managed to come up behind her without making a sound she'd never know. "You know we have to."

She wrung out her washcloth, feeling the sting of the chlorine in the water on her sensitive skin. "I know that I made a fool of myself back at the house," she began, "I should never have said that I… that we-"

He spun her around, his hands on her upper arms, his mouth finding her in the soft yellow light of the old kitchen bulbs. She whimpered against his lips, the wet cloth in her hand caught between them as he backed her up against the freezer.

Elizabeth felt none of the panic and fear that she had at the bank that morning. No, Jason Morgan's body pressing her tight against the cold steel wall of the freezer door did so very many things to her body, but fear and revulsion weren't among them.

The cloth slipped from her hand, falling to the floor with a wet 'splat', but neither of them noticed or seemed to care. Jason's hand rose from her arm and warmed a path up her shoulder and neck and back into the long curls at the nape of her neck. She leaned into the touch and her mouth opened beneath his, mingling their soft moans as they clung to each other in the heat of the room.

When his other hand slipped between the back of her blouse and the supple skin of her back Elizabeth shuddered and pressed closure to him, her legs tangling with his as they continued their embrace.

Jason tore his mouth away from hers and lifted his face to breath in the scent of her hair as his teeth nipped gently at the skin just beneath her ear. "Elizabeth… Elizabeth," her fingers tugged at his tshirt, inching it up and out of his jeans, "Elizabeth, I-"

His cellphone rang in his back pocket, the insistent electronic ringing threatening to impose on their moment alone. As he reached down to turn it off four other cell phones rang in near unison in the other room.

"Dude, Stonecold!" Spinelli's treble voice was suddenly at the door.

Shielding Elizabeth from anyone's prying eyes, Jason turned around and glared at the young hacker. "Dammit, Spinelli, I-"

"So sorry to interrupt your… ah… interfacing with the sweet one, but we need to go." Spinelli held up his phone, pointing at it, as Jason pulled his phone free of his jeans pocket. The text on the screen was enough to have his teeth grinding together.

Elizabeth could feel the change in him, the icy cold of his muscles tensing beneath his skin sent shivers of empathy through her own body. "What is it, Jason? What's wrong?"

Jason looked up and caught Milo's eye. "Get the car started." He turned around, taking Elizabeth by the shoulders and looking down into her eyes. "I have to go."

She nodded mutely.

"I have to go, now." His voice was low, pained. "If I could stay… I would, but-" he looked away, his jaw taut with strained muscles, "I'm coming back." The statement didn't have any room for an argument, not from either of them. "I'm coming back to you."

For one long moment he held her in his arms, his lips moving lightly against hers and bringing up a well of emotions that rocked her to the soles of her feet.

"Uh, Jason?" Max, this time, clearing his throat. "We're ready."

The next moment and he was gone, the diner door swinging back and forth in the frame as the SUV peeled out into the night.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Elizabeth had never been busier.

Since the shooting, she had worried that the other folks in her small town would stay away from the diner. Scandal in a town of this size was rarely a good thing.

She was surprised.

V became a constant customer and a good friend. Before, they'd had little to do with each other and it was only after a couple cups of late night coffee and some of Elizabeth's delicious brownies had V confided a secret to her. "You know," V began, a slight tinge of color on her cheeks, "I have to admit… I never really thought much of you before."

"Really?" Elizabeth didn't seem a bit surprised at the comment. "What changed your mind? Was it when I decided to carry around a service revolver in my purse?"

She nearly choked on her coffee, grabbing up a napkin to cough into, V shook her head and tried not to make it worse by laughing. "No, not really… but it maybe 'did' help a little." She reached for the pot on the counter to pour herself a little more coffee. "Really, it was when I found out that you weren't lusting after Lucky." V held up her hands in the next instant when she saw Elizabeth's curious look. "Oh hey, don't even go there… but really, I never saw 'anything' like that in him and I worried what kind of a silly little thing you were if you did."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the thought, but her laughter sobered a bit as she thought it over. "Lucky and I were old friends… and it was a… 'comfort' to me when he was there after Zander died overseas. I really needed a shoulder and I thought he was there… as a friend."

After a sip of the heated brew, V set it down on the counter. "Well, I'm glad I got that straight, I'm sure glad I don't have to hit you upside your head now."

Breaking off a piece of her brownie, Elizabeth popped it in her mouth. "Me too…" she looked up at the sheriff, "I'm glad we got a chance to know each other better."

V smiled and nodded. She looked around the empty diner. "You planning on closing up a little early tonight?"

"Yeah, I think so, business has been so good lately I hardly remember what it was like to worry over making enough money to pay the mortgage."

"I've been noticing more plates from out Port Charles way lately." She watched Elizabeth closely. "Any sign of Jason Morgan?"

Elizabeth's expression sank visibly and V wished to hell and back that she hadn't said a thing.

"Elizabeth, I-"

The younger woman stood, grabbing up her coffee cup as she went. "No… hey, don't worry about it… I'm sure he's… busy."

V stood, following Elizabeth a few feet away. "It's only been a few weeks. I could call up there and see what's-"

"No!" Elizabeth blushed a little when she realized that she'd fairly shouted the word. "No… thanks, but I'm sure… this is for the best."

The sheriff wondered if the young woman realized how big of a lie she'd just told her.

* * *

><p>Jason had never been busier.<p>

Since he'd received the page everything had gone to hell. Sonny had gone off the deep end and done the one thing he'd never done before, and that was saying something. He'd shot someone… out in the open… in a crowded public place. And then he'd turned the gun on a police officer.

Jason was surprised.

Then again, when Jason thought about it, he wasn't surprised. As he reached for yet another warehouse ledger, Jason felt the twinge in his side from the near healed bullet wound. Sonny had been winding up to this kind of 'explosion' for awhile now. The pressure of Carly and the other women around him had never been good for his temper, but in the short time that Jason had been away all hell had broken loose.

Now, he was stuck cleaning up Sonny's mess in the only way he could… keep business going.

There was a knock at the door and Jason called back in response. "Come in."

Max stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "You 'bout done for the day?"

Jason ignored the sudden clench of muscles in his jaw. Ever since he'd returned and they'd determined, via Diane that there was no way to get Sonny out of this one, they'd been guarding him as if he was the 'Boss.' And really, he was. There was no getting out of this one either. "Yeah, sure." He sighed, weary of the idea of being driven around by someone else. "Look, Max, I'll just take my-"

Before Max said a word Jason sighed. His bike was still at the diner. His bike was still with Elizabeth.

"Never mind, yeah, I'm ready." Setting aside the ledger he stood up and gave a grim little smile as the seat bounced off the wall behind him.

"You know, Jason," Max looked a little uncomfortable but he continued on, "you could take the weekend off. It would only take a few hours to get to-"

"The other families are watching me right now. They'd see where I was going and Elizabeth and Cameron would be in danger."

Max's expression bordered on sedition. "Yeah, I get that, Jason, but we could protect them. It wouldn't be any harder than protecting Mrs. C or the boys and-"

"I don't want to see them living in fear, Max. And that's what would happen if I dragged them into my life." Jason opened one of the drawers and looked down at the handgun inside. Black against the manila folders, it commanded his attention. "I'm not going to do that to them. Not now, not ever."

Jason picked up the gun and tucked in the back of his waistband and walked toward the door, passing by Max without another look.

Max wasn't about to let it drop, but followed Jason outside and covered his exit toward the SUV parked just outside the door. As Jason got into the car Max leaned closer to him. "By the way, Milo passed through town and stopped at the diner to check in on them."

Torn between two opposite responses, Jason wanted to find Milo and break his neck for drawing more attention to Elizabeth and Cameron. "Milo!"

The younger guard stepped out of the shadows, his face a mix of emotions. "You want something, Jason… uh, Boss?"

"Get in the car, Milo."

Looking at his brother with more than a bit of fear on his face, Milo stepped inside with Jason and the SUV headed for Harborview.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth woke up, her arm wet with drool. "Cam? Sweetheart? What are you doing in Mommy's bed?"<p>

The little boy struggled to get up on his hands and knees as one hand rubbed at his eyes. "Waiting."

Sitting up against the wall, Elizabeth fought back a yawn as she struggled to understand her son. "Waiting, sweetie?" She grabbed for the remote to the small television and looked down into his half-asleep face. "You want to watch cartoons?"

"No, Mama." He sat up on his knees and grabbed onto her nightgown with his little hands. "Waiting for Jason." He continued on, not realizing that his mother was stunned into silence. He leaned against her for warmth, his fingers playing with the little ribbon bow on the front of her flannel nightie. "When is he comin' back?"

She moved her lips, once or twice, but no sound could be heard. Cameron leaned against her contented but she felt the galaxy of emptiness within her yawn wider and wider until she felt as though she was about drown. "I… I dunno, Cam." She swallowed her own tears and hugged her child closer. "He may… He's probably busy, honey… we'll just have to wait and see."

Cam grabbed for the remote and turned on the television, lost in the flickering images for a moment as his mother struggled with her own words and worries. What she'd wanted to tell him was that Jason probably wasn't coming back. He'd left after the text he'd received and since then she hadn't heard word one from him.

With a kiss to Cam's curls she slipped out of the bed. "I'll get breakfast, okay?"

"Sure, Mama." Cam was lost to the world of G.I. Joe, before she set foot into the kitchen.

Elizabeth stopped just inside the doorway, looking down at the couch. That had been Jason's usual seat the entire time that he'd lived with them… she sighed. "Lived with us? Whatever, Lizzy… get a grip."

* * *

><p>Jason hadn't said a word since they'd left the warehouse and he waited until the penthouse door was closed before he turned to Milo with a single question. "How are they?"<p>

Milo's eyes opened a little wider and he sighed out a breath. "They're… um, they're okay."

The words did little to comfort him. "Max said you stopped in."

Swallowing visibly, Milo nodded. "Yeah, I was driving back from the job you sent me on and I was passing by anyway," he looked Jason square in the eye for a moment before turning away. "She was real busy, lots of folks comin' in to eat from the road. Some local folks, too. She really didn't have a lot of time but she stopped by my table to talk."

"Talk?" Jason moved toward the table in the entry, his fingers absently moving things around while he tried to act calm. "What did you talk about?"

Milo shifted from one foot to the other, anxious and more than a bit upset. "She said Cameron keeps sleeping in her room, leaving his bed empty… she said she's glad things are getting back to normal… she said… she said…"

Jason turned a little bit to look at him. "What else did she say?"

"She told me to say 'HI' to Max and Diane… and Spinelli."

He waited for a long moment before he fixed his gaze on Milo. "Anything else?"

Jason could see Milo's worry and confusion written on his face. He was trying so desperately to say the right thing.

"Uh… no, but like I said, she was real busy, Jason and-"

"That's enough, Milo… you can go."

The younger guard sighed and took a step toward the door before turning back to Jason. "You know, sometimes folks don't say things… 'cause they really want to… but don't… trust themselves."

Jason didn't say anything in response to the younger man's words. He barely heard the words over the empty thud of his heart against his ribs.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Emily let herself into Jason's penthouse, a bag full of cook's food hanging from her arm. She shook her head at the sad site before her. Jason sat on the couch, staring at a dark television, a beer open on the coffee table near his knee. "You know, with you taking over for Sonny, I guess I didn't expect that you'd still be… you."

Jason looked up for a moment, taking in her sad expression. "What did you think would happen?"

She shrugged and crossed the room to him. "I dunno… maybe I figured that when you became a mafia boss you'd have some kind of 'dress code,' you know? Like you'd get the name to a fancy tailor and start wearing three thousand dollar suits or have fancy artwork hanging on the walls." She set the bag of food down on the table and flopped down on the sofa beside him. "Maybe," she grinned, leaning on his arm a little, "I was worried you'd pick up the first floozy you'd see and set her up in your penthouse."

"Floozy?" His droll tone had more than a hint of laughter in it. Emily always knew how to make him smile. "I'm too busy to even look at a woman."

"So that's it?" She sat up a little. "You're just too busy?"

Jason stared at the dark screen, the expression in his eyes hidden. "Must be."

"Hmm…" she reached into the bag and pulled out a can of soda, "I heard about what happened to Sonny, who hasn't!" She popped open the soda and took a sip. "What I want to know is why you haven't talked to me at all since you've been back."

Looking down at his hands where they rested on his thighs he didn't have an answer for that either.

"Okay," she pressed, turning to look at his face carefully, "spill it!"

"Emily, there's nothing-"

"You are such a liar!" She growled the words out and didn't flinch when he growled right back.

"I do NOT lie to you."

"Then you're lying to yourself." She spat the words out with the air of surety that was born of years dealing with Jason Morgan. "You're so tied up in knots right now, I doubt you'd stop me if I tried to smack you on the nose!"

He turned his head slightly to look at her, the smallest of smiles twisting up the corner of his mouth. "I'd stop you."

She smiled back, a wide grin that said she'd won somehow and he loved her too much to argue.

"I've been bu-"

"You've been avoiding me," she corrected, "and when you do that, it's because of one of two reasons. 1) It's business and you know if you told me you'd have to kill me or I'd have to testify," she winked at him, "or 2) You're so freaked out by something that you don't even understand what's going through your head and you know I'll bug you until you tell me… I'm betting on number two."

He raised a questioning eyebrow and stared at her.

She blossomed with her smile, a grin that lit up the room around her. "I'm right… and now," she commanded, "you're going to tell me what this is all about so I can help you figure out what to do."

"You know," he started, shaking his head with a chuckle, "I didn't even invite you over for exactly this reason."

"I know," she took a sip, completely un-phased by his pointed hint, "but that's what sisters are good for."

"Being completely annoying?" He felt a little weight lift off of his heart.

"No, being completely and utterly right and unashamed to SAY IT!" She took another sip. "Now, SPILL!"

* * *

><p>Cam was on the jungle gym in the town park, attacking the climb up to the top of the multi-colored equipment as though he were conquering the beach on D-day. His lips were pursed in a thin line and his eyes were narrowed and focused on the task at hand.<p>

Elizabeth felt a laugh bubble up inside her chest and let it ring out in the cheerful cacophony of the playground.

"Well, that's a sound I like to hear."

Sitting up in surprise, Elizabeth turned around to see Abby and Bill strolling through the park hand in hand. "Hey there, you two!" She grinned at Bill, "Enjoying your day off?"

He managed to elbow his wife with a grin. "Sure, as soon as I talked her out of making me paint the kitchen and taking a walk with me."

"Ah!" Elizabeth watched as Abby elbowed him right back, their faces alight with mirth and love. "I'm sure you didn't want to see the boss-lady today… I'm glad you didn't go running in the opposite direction as soon as you saw me."

He looked down at Elizabeth with a wealth of affection in his gaze. "No problem with you, Missy… I like bein' busy and you make work a happy place to be."

"I'm sure you both would love to spend more time together and-"

"Oh, take him!" Abby, the sunlight catching on the silver highlights in her brown hair, laughed out loud. "Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Bill smiled. "She does give me a great big welcome when I come home and-"

"Uncle Billy!' Cameron was at the top of the jungle gym, his little legs straddling one of the metal rails, his arms upraised. "Uncle Billy… swings!"

With a laugh, Bill brushed a kiss on Abby's cheek and whispered, "'Cuse me, sweetie… duty calls."

Abby watched Bill weave through the children and make his way to the jungle gym to help Cam down. When she turned back to Elizabeth she was shocked. "Oh, no! What did we say? What's wrong?"

Elizabeth quickly swiped at the sudden tears and struggled to right her smile. "Nothing… nothing… I'm fine, really… I just-"

"I'm not so old that I don't remember tears like that." Sitting down beside the younger woman, Abby set a hand softly on her shoulder. "Those are the 'my-heart-is-breaking-but-I'm-too-stubborn-to-burden-the-old-woman-with-my-troubles' tears."

"You're not old!" Elizabeth giggled at the absurd notion. "I just… everything is so…" she searched the air around her for the right word, her mind a blank and too tired from the late nights she'd been suffering through, "confusing."

Abby lifted her hand and brushed back a stray strand of hair that escaped Elizabeth's low ponytail. "I've only known you for a few years, sweetie, but I feel like you're my daughter. Bill and I both love you all the way to Mars and back. I'd like to help you if I can," she nodded in encouragement, "maybe I can be a shoulder to lean on… if you need one."

Elizabeth hid her eyes for moment, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. When she looked back up into Abby's face she grinned, her eyes smiling even though they were rimmed with red. "I could really use someone to talk to."

Taking Elizabeth's hand in hers, Abby gave it a squeeze. "Then that's what I'll be… your someone."

* * *

><p>The noise inside the SUV was deafening in its silence. Max sat in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. Milo sat behind him staring out the window. Neither man uttered a word or asked a question after they'd been told to 'get in' the SUV.<p>

Jason offered no explanations and they asked for no answers. They both had learned enough about Jason that when he had him mind focused on something, they had better keep the distractions down to a minimum. That skill had kept them alive during their duties for the Corinthos/Morgan companies and now they knew to keep their mouths shut in hopes that Jason Morgan was finally pulling his head out of his backside.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth took one more look around her little house, wincing at the disarray she was leaving it in. She must have changed her outfit nearly a dozen times and the discards were laying about the room on the back of the couch, the backs of chairs and quite a few garments on the floor.<p>

Clutching her purse and her car keys she pressed her lips together as she struggled with her decision yet again. This was a big one for her… the equivalent of taking up tightrope walking over the Grand Canyon, but Abby's comforting words to her got her moving toward the door.

"The greatest prizes are the ones you have to risk the most to get."

Elizabeth grasped the doorknob with a sure grip and opened the door. Momentum carried her forward more than any other conscious decision and she found herself stunned momentarily when she stopped short of a full stride.

She walked right into Jason Morgan.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Elizabeth grasped the doorknob with a sure grip and opened the door. Momentum carried her forward more than any other conscious decision and she found herself stunned momentarily when she stopped short of a full stride.

She walked right into Jason Morgan.

"Oh my God!" She leaned back to look up into his face, a bit stunned by his sudden appearance. "What are you- I mean, when did you- I don't under-"

He silenced her with a kiss. One hand slid to the sensitive curve of her lower back while the other strayed into her hair, smoothing it back near her temple, until the pad of his thumb settled over her pulse.

Slowly he pulled away watching her until she opened her eyes to look at him. "Hey."

She smiled, slowly, a languid curve of her lips. "Hi."

"I think we should talk."

His comment shook her out of her dreamy state and she nodded. "Yeah, that would probably be a good idea. Why don't we sit down and-" She turned, ready to direct him to the sofa and realized, with horror, the state she'd left the room in. "Dammit!" She turned away from him and busied herself with picking up her discarded clothing around the room. She'd draped half a dozen outfits over her arm before she turned and back and watched Jason lift up a halter-dress and run his hand over the silky material.

Elizabeth bit her lip when the first thought in her traitorous mind was a very vivid image of Jason Morgan running his hand over the fabric while she was 'wearing' the dress.

He looked up at her and even in the half dark of the room she could swear he knew what she was thinking. Dropping the garments on the end of the sofa she swallowed and hoped her heart would go back down where it belonged so that she could breathe. "Maybe we should go somewhere else."

Jason's smile pinched the corner of his mouth into a half grin that had her grabbing her house key and heading for the sanity of bright sunlight.

She stopped short on the front step when she saw the two brothers lounging casually near the tinted SUV.

The younger man stood up, stretching to his full height. "Morning, Elizabeth."

"Morning, Milo… Max. Good to see you both. I was just… um-"

"We're going for a drive." Jason's answer saved her from trying to explain.

"You want the SUV, Jason? Or the bike?" Max held extra keys in his hands for both.

"The bike." Jason held out his hand for the key, but Elizabeth's gentle touch on his arm turned him back to her.

"I'd have to change my clothes, Jason."

He looked down and sure enough her flowery skirt barely reached the middle of her thigh and even as he thought of her on the bike behind him, her short skirt inching up her thigh from the wind he knew it was a bad idea. "SUV."

Max tossed over the keys and gave her a smile. "We were wondering if we could pick Cam up and take him for ice cream if that was all right with you."

Elizabeth nodded, her emotions welling up inside of her for the umpteenth time that morning. "Sure… sure, he's over at the pre-school." Elizabeth took out her little flip-phone and called the school to arrange for the staff to let Cam go with the two men. As she talked to the office staff she watched Jason, unsure of exactly what he wanted to talk about. As she hung up the phone with a nod, the two brothers disappeared inside one of the SUVs and left them alone. "So…"

He smiled and shrugged. "Is there somewhere around here where we can talk?"

Thinking quickly, she nodded and held out her hand. "Let me drive?"

A moment later, Jason dropped the keys in her hand.

"Sweet." Elizabeth ran around to the driver's door and opened it, standing on the runner to see over the car she looked at Jason. "Get in."

Jason was only too happy to do what she asked.

They were quiet while Elizabeth drove, her hand reaching for the radio controls and picking up a Country radio station with practiced ease. She looked over when she reached a stop sign, her easy grin infectious. "What?" she asked him as he grinned back at her, his blue eyes snapping with humor. "You don't think I'm one of those rap fans, do you?"

He shrugged and sat back in the passenger seat listening to her sing along with the song. He doubted that the radio had ever been tuned to a station like that before, but sitting there with Elizabeth he didn't care if she had turned it to a rap station, or new age for that matter. It was just nice being there with her.

A few minutes later they turned off the road and onto a gravel strip that ended in a grassy area edged by white painted rocks. The grass was matted down by tires and in a few places wildflowers had survived the cross-hatched marks.

Elizabeth set the parking brake and got out. She walked ahead to a little picnic area that overlooked a small valley covered in a crazy quilt of farms. She sat down on a bench, smoothing her hem down in the light breeze.

Jason sat down beside her and leaned back against the bench, his mind a jumble of thoughts. He wasn't used to feeling like this.

Then again, if he was as honest with himself as he'd been with Emily, he'd never felt like this.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and felt the soft breeze on her face. She was so desperately trying to remain calm. It was easier in the car, the music kept her distracted and now, sitting here beside the man that had dominated her waking and sleeping thoughts, she was utterly done in.

"I missed you."

She looked up at Jason and realized after a long moment of staring at him that the words had come from him. She blinked back sudden tears. "I missed you, too."

Down below them, at the edge of their hearing a cargo train sounded its horn.

"Jason, I wanted-"

"Elizabeth, I wanted-" he stopped short and took her hand. "I need to tell you something."

She wanted to get it all off of her chest, but there was something so urgent in his eyes that she nodded.

"I worked for Sonny Corinthos in Port Charles. He ran what we call… a family."

"The mob." She said the words and let go off the breath she'd been holding. "I know."

"You know?" He couldn't help the way his words sounded, incredulous… breathless. "How?"

Now it was her turn to shrug. "V." She smiled more, squeezing his hand just a little. "She told me… she thought… she wanted me to know who you were. What you did for a living."

His blue eyes focused on her face, trying to read the subtle nuances of her expression even though he knew it was just out of his range of abilities. "I'm sure whatever she said was pretty… accurate." He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

She looked out over the valley and pursed her lips. "It was hard to hear. I mean, I've seen those Godfather films and then there was Scarface and Goodfellas." She laughed softly. "I'm not sure how close those come to your 'life'…" she drifted off and Jason looked down at their hands.

She was smoothing her thumb over the back of his hand as though she was trying to calm him. He pictured her soothing Cam in much the same way and the sudden ache in his chest left him breathless.

But the next words out of her mouth stunned him even more.

"But you're not your job, Jason. Otherwise… I wouldn't love you."

With his heart lodged firmly in his throat he couldn't say anything.

Elizabeth rambled on, suddenly afraid. "But look, I didn't say that to make you feel uncomfortable… or make you feel like you have to say-"

"I love you."

She looked at him, blinking as though she was waking up from a dream. "Jason, don't-"

He turned on the bench, taking her other hand in his.

Biting her lip to keep back tears she shook her head. "No, please… don't."

"Elizabeth." He felt her name on his lips and enjoyed the taste of it, remembering how she'd kissed him less than an hour before. "Elizabeth, look at me."

She lifted her chin the slightest bit and looked up into his blue eyes. For a moment it was almost like looking into a mirror. She read so much in his eyes… enough to startle her into silence.

"I went back to Port Charles to take care of business, Sonny's business. I've done that for as long as I can remember." He lifted one hand, joined with hers, and set it on his leg, "I've done it for the last time."

She turned toward him, tucking one leg under herself as she leaned in closer to listen to him, his voice had grown softer.

"I thought I was happy with my life… living by my own rules, but that wasn't true." He lifted one of her hands and pressed it to the side of his face, leaning into the soft warmth of her palm. "I didn't know what I wanted until," he looked down into her face, his eyes burning with intensity, "until I met you."

"Jason," her voice barely reached his ears, "I was going to go to Port Charles to see you." She blinked up at him through the fine haze of tears. "I was going to tell you how much we've missed you. Both Cam and I kept waiting for you to come back here and I was angry at you… leaving like you did." She let out a huff of air that sounded like a sob. "I was angry at myself for letting you disappear from my life." She took back one of her hands to swipe at a tear on her lashes and then let it settle on his arm. "After Zander died, I put all my energy toward just putting one foot in front of the other… keeping food on the table and a roof over our heads and I told myself that it was enough for me… it was enough for Cam… that we could do that.. alone." She rose up a little, looking him straight in the eye as she wrapped her arms around him. "But I want you, Jason. I want you beside me during the day and holding me close at night. If it means leaving this town... I will." She pressed her lips to his for just a moment before finishing. "We'll be happy wherever you are."

He smiled, the weight of the world off of his shoulders for the first time in his life. He pulled her closer until she was right in his lap, his arms tightly around her, his lips trailing a path along her neck to her ear. "Then there's only one thing for us to do."


	17. Chapter 17

Epilogue

"Elizabeth?"

She stretched her legs under the covers, languidly brushing her toes against his legs. "Hmmm?"

"Elizabeth?"

The cool brush of air on her skin told her that Jason had tugged the sheet down… again.

She opened her eyes to complain with a look but instead her eyes widened in sweet surprise when Jason's hand smoothed over her stomach. The growing child within her body rolled closer to the familiar touch.

Jason's smile was precious.

Elizabeth sighed and reached down to cover his hand with her own. "I can tell…" Jason looked up to meet her smiling gaze, "that's she's going to be 'Daddy's Girl.'"

He looked down at her swollen belly, his work-hardened hands gently massaging her. "How do you know?" Jason looked up into her eyes again. "The technician couldn't tell."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to trust 'me' or the technician?"

That was an easy question. "You."

That answer satisfied her and she slipped a hand beneath the sheet, continuing its path until a muscle twitched in Jason's jaw, his eyes darkening in the morning light. "Your hand is cold."

She grinned, a slow…seductive curve of her lips. She flexed her fingers, sliding them an inch one way and then another.

Jason's eyes narrowed and growled a little breath. "Careful."

Her expression changed again, all innocence and surprise. "Me?"

His hand left the swell of her belly and slid lower, over her hip. "Yes, you…"

Jason's touch sent shivers down her spine and she gasped out a breath. "Oh, I think I know what I'm doing, Jason." She curved her fingers, lightly drawing her nails along his sensitive skin.

He hissed, his jaw tightening in reaction to her touch. "Elizabeth…" his arm snaked around her body and pulled her up against him. She rolled slightly putting her back to him, drawing his arm around her swollen middle. He pressed his lips to her neck and then against her ear. "Keep it up and we'll never get out of bed."

She laughed, a low throaty chuckle and Jason didn't have to see her face to know the expression. He'd seen it many times in the last year. They'd both discovered new things about themselves as they'd discovered new things about each other. He was about to get up when she wiggled against him and then he was powerless to do anything but let her have her way.

It was a tough sacrifice, but someone had to do it.

Jason nipped her on her shoulder and felt her shudder against him.

* * *

><p>Later that morning…<p>

The whole town had turned out for the grand opening, the balloons and games for the children had been Elizabeth's idea, but everyone was enjoying them… including Cam as she dragged Milo, Max and Spinelli around in turn.

V pulled a piece of cotton candy from the cone and ate it with a smile.

Beside her, the Deputy sulked and crossed his arms across his chest. "This is crazy! We can't watch this many people, we need more help, and-"

"Lucky?" V ripped another piece off with a little more force than necessary and snapped at it angrily. "I've had just about enough of your whining. This is easy money for you and if you don't want to be here, turn in your badge and go home."

"I never said I didn't want to, I was just saying-"

"Here!" She shoved the cotton candy at him and stomped away. "I'm going to have a fun time here if it kills you, Spencer."

Diane sat under a tree with a glass of lemonade in her hand, stylish sunglasses perched on her head. "Well, I can't say this is up there with Fashion week in New York, but it does have its merits."

"Here, honey," Max sat down beside her and held out a plate, "have some."

She wrinkled her nose at the plate piled high with deep fried foods. "What is that?"

Circling the plate in clockwise direction, the broad-shouldered Italian gave her the food tour. "We have funnel cake, churros, and deep-fried twinkies." Seeing her reluctance, he picked up a twinkie and held it to her lips. She took a tentative nibble of the confection and reluctantly chewed on it. "Oh my stars!" Her eyes opened in wonder. "That's delicious!" Max fed her another bite and she let him kiss away the powdered sugar from her mouth.

Inside the Neon Lights Motorcycle Shop…

Elizabeth took yet another picture of her husband and suffered through his pained look. "It's for the scrapbook, Jason."

He weaved his way through the motorcycles on the floor of the showroom and pulled her close for a kiss. Her lips were sweet with a tinge of lemon, proving that she hadn't been able to resist yet another glass of lemonade after the first four, but he didn't care, he enjoyed the taste of her.

"Ahem…" he heard the familiar voice of the sheriff behind them, but this time tinged with more than a little humor, "what does a girl have to do to get service around here?"

Elizabeth recovered first, leaning to the side to see her friend around Jason's muscular arm. "Hey, V. Want to buy a bike?"

V looked over the impressive area of motorcycles from all over the world and grinned at them. "If you two aren't careful, you're gonna have a huge success on your hands!" She swept her hand over a vintage Indian motorcycle and grinned. "Yes, I want to buy one… who wants my money."

Elizabeth tapped Jason on his shoulder. "That would be him."

"Mama!" Cam was in the doorway, dragging Milo behind him with the tenacity of Chuggin' Charlie uphill in a snowstorm. "Come-on-Milo, Come-on!"

"Hey, little man. How are you?" Elizabeth crouched down as much as her stomach would allow her.

Cam stopped short and stared at the camera in her hands. "Picture, Mama!"

Elizabeth turned slightly. "All right, Cam… you go stand next to Jason and Mommy will take a picture."

Cameron dropped Milo's hand and scooted over to Jason, raising his hands. "Up!"

Jason lifted the child in his arms and felt the familiar little arms circle his neck. He leaned in for the kiss that came next and smiled through the sticky press of Cam's lips on his cheek. "Hey, buddy."

"Hey, Daddy."

Time seemed to slow to a stop as Jason looked down into Cam's face. The boy was unaware of the shock he'd given Jason and busied himself playing with Jason's t-shirt collar. It was the first time he'd referred to Jason as his father. The moment was priceless to Jason… and Elizabeth.

V nudged her young friend as she took the camera from Elizabeth's hands. "You go in there and I'll take the picture for you."

Elizabeth stepped up to Jason and slid her arm around his waist as she leaned into his side.

Jason leaned down a little as he dropped his arm over her shoulders. "I love you, Elizabeth."

She couldn't help the sob that burst silently from her lips or the mist of tears in her eyes even as she smiled for the picture. "I love you, too, Jason."


End file.
